Need to move broody hen, eggs 18 days.

[PaintedMeadows]

Can I move her and her eggs into a nest on the floor without trouble? I don't want to shake up the eggs or cause her to abandon them.

 

[kathyinmo]

Well, it is a gamble. She may be just fine. If you need to move her and the nest, do it at night, with only a flashlight.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

I am worried that there won't be enough room in the nest for her and up to 17 chicks without someone getting injured or killed. I have a grill I can put in front of the nesting box. We used it last year but she only had 9 eggs and 6 hatched. Do you think we should be concerned about the space?

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Forgot to ask. Can we do it by red light?

 

[MissD'uccle]

we had to move our broody BO last fall and this is how we did it.

She was about 18 days along. We did it at night to lessen what she could "see". My DH and I used a small piece of plywood and pushed it under the nest, straw, eggs, hen and all and then we carried her to the new spot. She stayed put on the nest and aclimated just fine to the new area where she hatched out six chicks.


Its always a gamble but I think if you guys do it quietly and don't cause her too much stress she should be just fine.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[PaintedMeadows]

This gal is a BO too but we can't move the whole nest. We would have to either take her off the nest, move the eggs, then put her back on or move the eggs out from under her, move her on to the eggs. What do you think? She is sitting on 12 maran eggs that I bought. I don't want to lose them. Yikes!!

 

[Southernbelle]

If you could, I'd just leave her alone until they hatch; then move her and the babies to the floor.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I think this is the best, also.

 

[DAFox]

I have moved Broodies, but always earlier than at 18 days, except for my first successful one. The first chick fell out of the nest and the other chickens squished it. I moved her and the pipped eggs down and into their own space.
Do move her at night and do put that grill over the enclosure for the rest of the night. I moved one at night and she abandoned the nest. So I have learned to lock them in for the first night. After that she'll probably be fine.
Good luck,
Dale-Ann

 

[PaintedMeadows]

The grill is for the nest she is in now so I am going to just leave her and keep an eye on things. Super excited for chicks now! Yippee. We are officially starting day 19 now. (we put the eggs under her at 6pm on friday april 9th.) Yahoo!! CHICKS!!