My First broody Hen Hatch

[blueberrysilky]

This is the first time I have had a hen go broody, I checked on her this morning (Easter Morning) and I saw 1 Buff Orpington that had hatched. I don't know how many she is sitting on, probobly 2-3 eggs. I would like to know when is it safe to move her off of the eggs and into the "chicken jail" or a brooder I have built into my coop?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would move her when all or most of the eggs have hatched, she will continue to sit on any remaining eggs for a day or two before leaving the nest. The chicks require no food or water for the first day or two so don't worry about that.

 

[blueberrysilky]

When she started I was afraid looking under her would discourage her from sitting. So I didn't look under her, I have no clue how many eggs she is on, I only have two laying hens, her being one of them. So it can't be many. When will it be ok to take her off and how do I need to do that?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would gently lift her up, or push her up into a standing position, she may try to peck you, watch for chicks under the wings, you will need to see what's under her to decide how to proceed.

Is she is a safe area or in a raised nest, if the chicks can come out and then return under her I would wait, the danger comes if the chicks can fall out of a nestboxes, or climb and can't get back under her.

Hopefully you don't have a staggered hatch where the other hen kept adding eggs. That would end up with some eggs that aren't ready to hatch yet but will get abandoned. It's always best to count eggs and Mark them when a hen begins a hatch.

If all are hatched you can move them otherwise I would figure on moving either before night or within 24 hours depending on where she's sitting.

 

[blueberrysilky]

Thanks so much for the info! My nesting boxes are part of the coop, which I blocked off to where no other birds can get to her. She is the only one in the coop right now, I will be away for a few more hours but can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Let me know what you end up with, that's a great gift to get on Easter.

 

[aart]

How many other birds do you have?
I would allow her to rejoin the flock with the chicks as soon as they are up and moving, eating, and drinking well.
You might have to setup a creep feed/water station for the chicks.

 

[blueberrysilky]

Update: Turns out she was sitting on 7 eggs, 2 hatched, when I noticed her off the eggs I rushed the eggs to my incubator. Not much hope with the eggs in the incubator but I would like to see one or two more hatch. One had already piped when I moved the eggs, the membrane probobly shrinked around him, I tried covering it with a warm damp cloth when I moved it. The hen is in the "chicken jail" or my brooder built into my coop with her 2 chicks. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Glad you had an incubator, good luck with the rest.

 

[blueberrysilky]

So far one more of the "Abandoned eggs" have hatched!