Need Advise: Help with a setting hen!

[JaciesCoop]

I have a hen who has been on 2 egg for 15 days now. She seems to be very persistent in hatching these 2 eggs.

She is in the coop with one roo and 9 other hens.
I have a section of the coop fenced off for her that has a side run and a brooder box but my question is: Should I try to move her over there now or wait until the chicks have hatched. I don't want to risk her getting off them at this point.

Will the others hurt the chicks if I wait until they are hatched to move them or should I try and do it now?

Jacie

 

[JaciesCoop]

Awwww. Surely someone can give me some advise. I'm really needing some about now.

 

[Atlchick]

I'm waiting on a reply, too! We have one new peep today, and awaiting 4 more.

I had to move hen to another spot, and I think she's OK with it.

 

[JaciesCoop]

Quote:
So you moved her while they were peeping? That's what I need to know. When to move her exactly. I wish someone would give us some advise.

Jacie

 

[SPRING CREEK FARM]

Me, too! I have a mama hen on 13 eggs in another coop that I need to move because we have added on to our coop and run areas. I am afraid to try to move her and it is stopping our progress...

 

[JaciesCoop]

well this seems to be a common problem. I do wish someone would offer a solution.

 

[Kajunbanty]

I have left them where they are till they hatch, she will protect the babies from the other chickens. It really depends on the hen as to her accepting a new nest and place. At this point I say leave her be. Once they hatch then you can move them all to a new place.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I just started a broody yesterday. This is my first experience. I intend to leave her on the nest she's on until day 18. Then I'm moving her to a closed off section of the coop to hatch them out. She's only on 5 eggs. I tried to move her yesterday to a better situated nest but she got off and went right back to where she was, so I guess I'll just have to subject myself to the wrath of an insane broody while collecting the eggs everyone else has laid from underneath her.

 

[Dirt Road]

If you move the hen at night, she will settle down on the nest easily until daylight. At that point if you can have her view of her old nest site blocked, or if she is in a place where she just can't see the old site she will almost always settle back on her eggs after a half hour of running back and forth trying to get out to return to the old site. I have moved them after 2-3 weeks, and have never had one quit because of it. However, if she can see her old site, she may spend all day running back and forth and eventually quit over it, though many will finally settle on the new spot.

If you are going to move the hen at all, the sooner the better. Unless you have some important reason for waiting it doesn't make sense to wait till day 18 to move her. She will settle easier if the move is done sooner rather than later.

Jim

 

[JaciesCoop]

Oh thank you guys for answering. I hadn't thought of the night move. That makes sense to me.

Thanks again for the responses.

Jacie