Poor little broody hen freaking out

[Robin'sBrood]

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I wish! The coop sits up off the ground on bricks, so there is very little room under there. If she were not a bantam, she would not be able to get under there... and you should see her squeezing herself back under after she comes out.

I guess I'll just have to see what happens. IF she hatches any chicks out how long before she'll bring them out from under the coop and into the run? Will my 3 other chickens hurt them? That's my main concern... and the reason I was trying to relocate the eggs BEFORE they hatched.

that IF they hatch I'll be able to get mama and babies into the tractor without incident.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

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Hope to hear an update on how things went for you!

 

[dancingbear]

The only time I've had chickens attack chicks was when they had chicks of their own to protect, and anything else moving was perceived as a big threat. Sometimes orphan chicks with no mom to protect hem will get beat up, sometimes fatally, but not usually if they have a mom protecting them. Banty hens are quite often fierce moms.

I had an 18 lb. Maine Coon cat who hunted mice at the coop, he never bothered the birds at all. I had a banty hen with new chicks. Mom probably weighed about 6 oz., and she chased that poor cat right up the walls of the coop before he ran out, terrified.

I've had eggs hatch that had been chilled repeatedly, and I was sure none would hatch. Then to my astonishment, most of them did hatch. Moms usually stay on the nest with new babies 24-48 hours, more or less, before parading them out to meet the world. They give them time to be rested from hatching, be all dry and fluffed out, and get their legs under them well, so that they're active and alert when they emerge.

Some hens move easily, others just won't have it. I've moved broodies at night, and had them stay tight on the nest in a new location, and I've had others nearly beat themselves to death to get back to the old location, oblivious to the eggs I put her right on top of. What can I say, some hens are just more neurotic than others.

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

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Hope to hear an update on how things went for you!

Well, the move went well, she never even put her legs down as I scooped her from nest one to nest 2 and Rob moved the eggs. she nestled right down over them, and was still all night.

HOWEVER.....

This morning she came out to feed and drink, and then went back to the old nest sight and was very confused. when I put her back in the nest 2 spot with her eggs, where she had been sitting ALL night, she just started pacing, and freaked, and fixated on coming out.....So, I relented, let her out, and she flew immediately to the old nest spot, and began looking again. In frustration I gave her one of her eggs, and she saw it in my hand and instantly crouched down, fluffed up and started to try and roll it to her chest! GRRRRR. So I gave her back all three eggs. Heavy sigh.

I guess we are going to have a day nest and a night nest, because I dont trust one of my hens, an evil nasty Crevacoer, who I have caught killing one of the other eggs in this nest. She is like a vulture, and I just think she is up to no good. So I want the eggs to hatch in the cage. So, I guess we will move Stevie each night, until either she gets the message, or we get the babies. I dont know what else to do!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Thank you SO MUCH for all the info, dancingbear!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Quote:
Hope to hear an update on how things went for you!

Well, the move went well, she never even put her legs down as I scooped her from nest one to nest 2 and Rob moved the eggs. she nestled right down over them, and was still all night.

HOWEVER.....

This morning she came out to feed and drink, and then went back to the old nest sight and was very confused. when I put her back in the nest 2 spot with her eggs, where she had been sitting ALL night, she just started pacing, and freaked, and fixated on coming out.....So, I relented, let her out, and she flew immediately to the old nest spot, and began looking again. In frustration I gave her one of her eggs, and she saw it in my hand and instantly crouched down, fluffed up and started to try and roll it to her chest! GRRRRR. So I gave her back all three eggs. Heavy sigh.

I guess we are going to have a day nest and a night nest, because I dont trust one of my hens, an evil nasty Crevacoer, who I have caught killing one of the other eggs in this nest. She is like a vulture, and I just think she is up to no good. So I want the eggs to hatch in the cage. So, I guess we will move Stevie each night, until either she gets the message, or we get the babies. I dont know what else to do!

Wow, how frustrating that must have been. We know where the term "bird brained" came from, don't we.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Well, I have another question for y'all. I got home from NYC 3 weeks and 3 days ago, so I know my girl has been broody for over 3 weeks - and no chicks yet. My question...

When does the incubation period begin, is it after she has laid the last egg in her clutch, or is it while she is still laying the eggs?


BTW, she has 9 eggs in her nest. TIA!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

No one?

Maybe I should phrase it another way.... From which day do you start counting the incubation period of a chicken - is it after she has laid the last egg of the clutch she is brooding, or before?

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

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Wish I knew that one myself... My lil Sweetie is down to 2 eggs, and I check her eggs morning and night, no sounds, no cracks, just disappearing eggs....

 

[eggzettera]

You start counting when she starts going broody.
HTH