Moving broody hen off nest!

[Mikus]

I always do. My main "hatching" pens are 2ft x 4ftx 3ft tall with the broody box hanging on the outside. If you have something similar in size and a dusting box or dirt floor---she will be good. No, she does not need to be taken off the nest---she will get off when she gets ready. I just keep adding to her water/feed and Leave her alone. The only time I will look at her eggs is if she just happens to be off the nest eating, etc. I found out its Best with most broody hens----to just leave them alone. She is moved there in the beginning and stays in it until the chicks are 2 or 3 weeks old----unless I need it then they are moved to a little bigger round pen----still by their self and then the chicks stay in those pens until they get a couple months old. These pens are made with 1/2" hardware cloth to help keep them some-what snake proof and the hatching pen(1st pic) is divided into 4 sections so 4 broody hens can be in it but all 4 are separated from each other. Let me see if I can find a pic.

Such amazing advice, thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I'm panicking though because I did what you said and my broody hen hasn't went back to her nest and I only have a 2/3 day window to get her to take to it again, she's never stayed away from it this long and I don't know what to do!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Such amazing advice, thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I'm panicking though because I did what you said and my broody hen hasn't went back to her nest and I only have a 2/3 day window to get her to take to it again, she's never stayed away from it this long and I don't know what to do!

How long was she in the new coop you put her in?? Was she setting on the old nest steady(all day and night)before you moved her to the coop?

 

[Mikus]

How long was she in the new coop you put her in?? Was she setting on the old nest steady(all day and night)before you moved her to the coop?

Good news! She went back to her nest at bedtime last night and is still on then this morning....phew!!!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

My brown hybrid hen, Doris, has been broody for approx 1 week, I eventually found her nest in a hedge at the bottom of the garden! She hasn't been in contact with a roo and was laying on her unfertilised eggs. I got some fertile eggs, put them in a separate coop and have locked her in with them, I suppose what I'm trying to say is have I done the right thing and will she eventually settle down to sit on them? I only did it this morning and can still see her pacing around, any advice would be much appreciated!

No, hens are not logical but only work off of instinct. Your hen has imprinted on the nest that you found in the garden and she is bound and determined to sit on that nest if it hair lips He**.

Never remove a hen from her nest because you are worried that she isn't eating or drinking enough. Hens will normally leave her nest every 3 or 4 days to eat, drink, defecate, and if the weather is dry, take a quick dust bath. A hens instinct is much better than your's or mine. Just keep some food in a dry location where the hen can find it and make sure that she has sufficient water. Then leave her alone.

If you have a mating that you absolutely must get some chicks out of, you can absolutely be sure that if you move the hen without relocating her whole nest at the same time that that hen will (almost always) abandon her eggs.