Moving a setting hen?

[GallusSapiens]

We have a 1-year-old Buff Orpington who is broody. On Wednesday we put a dozen fertilized eggs under her. She is very content to stay on them with almost no break. We are looking forward to seeing her care for some chicks in 3 weeks.

Unfortunately, she started brooding in the nesting box in the small coop she shares with 3 other hens. We now have a place we can move her to be alone and where we won't have to worry for her chicks when they hatch. However, we are concerned that she won't like the new location and will not stay on the eggs.

What do the experienced chicken raisers recommend? Should we wait? Is it safe to move her? (The nesting box she is in portable, so we don't have to handle the eggs.) Should we move the other hens on day 20 (they won't be very happy about that), and then relocate the mother and chicks after they hatch?

Suggestions, please!

 

[Dylon]

Move her at night. I use a shoe box. Fill it with nest material. When its dark, Get the eggs out from under her and set them in the nest you made. Then pick her up and put her in the box. Cover her with a towel. She won't move under the towel. Put her in a cage away from the others so she can't see the other hens and want to go back to them. If possible, give her some infertile eggs to sit on at for a couple days. If she takes to the eggs there, she will be fine. I just moved my white orpington following the steps above and she did well. It may take a day for her to settle in, that's why o recommend using dummy eggs as a test

 

[GallusSapiens]

I don't have an incubator. She's already been sitting on the eggs for 5 days, so I don't think I can test her with infertile eggs for a couple of days, can I? Wouldn't that kill the eggs that she's already been sitting on?

 

[JanO]

Personally I'd leave her alone and let her brood where she is. As long as the other hens aren't bullying her to the point that there could be injuries, she'll be fine and a fierce protector of her eggs and chicks. If you try to move her she could very well abandon the nest, so unless you have a very good reason for doing so, don't move her. After the eggs hatch she'll keep them in the nest for a day or so and then bring them out to eat. After that she'll find a place on the ground that she feels safe and keep them warm and protected, only bringing them out for short periods of time to eat and drink until they are big enough to come out more. It's really amazing to watch.

 

[GallusSapiens]

Thanks. The nesting box is about 20 inches above the floor of the coop (which has a very thick layer of pine shavings). Will the chicks be all right hopping down from there?

 

[JanO]

The chicks will be alright. I have had chicks hatch as high as 4 or 5 feet and as long as they have something soft to land on they do well. It's when there is no cushion to land on, or something that's in the way,that they get hurt. Make sure that there is no rocks, or tools, in their landing zone and they should be fine.

 

[LAChickens]

Really?! That's amazing.

GallusSapians can you post how this turned out for you? I have the same issue currently. I have a Cornish Cross setting a clutch of 13 eggs — in a milk crate — on a baker's rack about 5 feet off the ground. She's at day 10 now and since the crate is portable, I was thinking of moving it at night to a new location in a brooding pen where the same hen has hatched out chicks before. But I'm nervous that she's abandon the nest.

My concern with leaving her in place is that if the first hatched chicks hop out, and can't get back to the mother hen, won't they die? And since she's among the flock currently, there's the chance that the other birds/roosters may kill them...no?

If I move her to the brooding pen, I would do it after dark. If this could work, I was thinking that I could build up the straw to about the height of the milk crate making it easier for the chicks to come and go. Then once the hatch is completed, I'd remove the crate, clean it out and replace it (or use a cardboard box) this time on it's side so that the hen/chicks have shelter. Then as the hay gets soiled I'd remove it, so that eventually the chicks would be standing on the wire mesh flooring.

Thoughts?

 

[esther5]

hi
i don't want to try and convince anyone it is safe just in case but i have always moved my broodies successfully. i have a portable enclosed box (well ventilated) which has a door. when i want to change their location, i do it at dusk. i shut the door up. move the whole thing to the new location and open the door the next day when i get home at lunchtime and can keep an eye. it has worked for me so far with 3 different hens.

 

[Dylon]

Now I have a different problem. They all hatched fine. I now need to move the hen and chicks to a better location into a better cage. The hen is very aggressive and lunges at me and flaps around the cage. She steps on the babies and one even fell out, but it seems ok. I can't even replace the feed and water without upsetting her.

 

[LAChickens]

Wow, I haven't had agitated mama hens. She may just be protecting her babies? Your White Orp's been through a stressful time setting though and not all hens are great moms. AFAIK, it is okay to move the mom and the babies once they have dried off from the hatch. I usually move them and clean up the birthing muck. If the hen's aggressive towards you - I'd say protective. If the aggression is toward the chicks, I'd remove them and raise them under a light...(like hatchery chicks), but if she's not, I'd leave them with her, it's so much easier for you and the hens know instinctively what to do. Please report back.