Nest found now what?

[ValkerieGunn]

So I found Shirley and her nest by following the peeps of baby chicks tonight. Her nest is 3 foot off the ground inside a hedge. I have no clue how many eggs are left to hatch or how far apart they are. I can not remove her because between the location, babies hiding in her wings, and her possibly kicking the eggs not hatched yet to the ground it is not safe so I am leaving her be. Now do I just keep an eye out for her to get down and move them? Do I move the babies when I inevitably find them on the ground? Laverne I know is Broody but is in a nest box and still has 2 weeks before hatch. But for Shirley I have no clue any advice is appreciated.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Oh bless her little heart...and I mean that in the Southern way. The little stinker of course picked an impossible place.

Well, my old farm girl attitude is...she chose it, she can deal with it. She'll get down and the babes will tumble after her. It may be total chaos at that point...or not.

I had a gal hide in a corner behind the chain link fence and wood pile and thick blackberry brambles...where I couldn't get to the nest fully at all. It wasn't a great place. I managed to pull some of the eggs out as she was sitting on a very big pile. She still hatched out about 10, leaving those that didn't hatch in the pile of left overs. I had little hope she'd get them out of the wood pile, down the chain link, through the thick brambles and to the coop...but a couple of days later she met me at the door to the coop with all babes, alive and well, in tow.

So, I'd let her be and see what she can do. She's got it this far.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[cavemanrich]

This is what I would do.
At night with a red headlight,, (so you can see, but chickens cant) I would stick my hand under hen,, and remove chicks, one at a time. At that point, you may get an idea of how many eggs still left to hatch.
Here is a fact.; Baby chicks can live without food for a few days. After that, they expire. That is why you need to remove the chicks, and place in a brooder. (provide water and feed) You also mentioned another hen is broody. See if she will accept the chicks. Of course, she may, and abandon the eggs she is incubating. Brooder best choice.
There are other options also, but do get complex. Like building a platform up to nest, and supplying water and feed. Problem there,, chicks may walk off edge, and fall 3 feet. Not a good thing.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Oh bless her little heart...and I mean that in the Southern way. The little stinker of course picked an impossible place.

Well, my old farm girl attitude is...she chose it, she can deal with it. She'll get down and the babes will tumble after her. It may be total chaos at that point...or not.

I had a gal hide in a corner behind the chain link fence and wood pile and thick blackberry brambles...where I couldn't get to the nest fully at all. It wasn't a great place. I managed to pull some of the eggs out as she was sitting on a very big pile. She still hatched out about 10, leaving those that didn't hatch in the pile of left overs. I had little hope she'd get them out of the wood pile, down the chain link, through the thick brambles and to the coop...but a couple of days later she met me at the door to the coop with all babes, alive and well, in tow.

So, I'd let her be and see what she can do. She's got it this far.

My thoughts.
LofMc

Thank you! We free range and she does good but we thought we lost her because we had a pack of coyotes come through and have a party out front and hadn't seen her since. I was doing my egg check around the hedge because some of my pullets came into lay not long ago and started laying there instead of the nest boxes. I only found her because I heard chick peeps. She is in a good spot I think but will she bring them back to the coop? I know the babies can't get back up to the nest once down so I am hoping she comes down and out on her own. My first broody to hatch out her babies so I'm excited and nervous.