Tips for moving a broody?

[Country Heart]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - this is her's (and my) first time.

My girl has been broody for about four days now, so it seems like she is serious. Unfortunately she chose everyone's favorite nest to claim as her own. For everyone's piece of mind I decided to move her to her own nest and area. I did it last night with help from DH. It seemed to go well and she settled back down just fine - but this morning she has noticed that she is not on the nest she expected.

Do I need to keep her confined to the new nest for a while so it starts to feel like home to her? What do you think? Thanks in advance for any helpful advice you can offer.

 

[Kittymomma]

I've had mixed success moving broodies. This last time it went very well and she's still on the nest 2-weeks later. I first prepared the new nest area (Igloo dog house inside 7x13 reinforced dog run) including adding the eggs I wanted her to hatch to the new nest. I got her off the old nest well after dark and quietly/calmly moved her to the new space (about 30 yards away.) I then covered the opening to the dog house with an old towel and left it "closed" up until afternoon of the next day. By the time I took the towel off she was pancaked down and sitting tight on the new nest.

If I had or was going to get eggs that were really important to me I probably would have put her on dummy eggs for a few days just to make sure she wouldn't break from the move before giving her the good ones. In my case I was just giving her a few "barnyard mix" eggs so I wasn't too worried about it. Good luck! Broody hens are a kick!

 

[boxermom]

I have moved 3 broodies and have had success with all of them. I test them for a couple of days, making them get off the nest to eat. If they keep going back to the nest, I prepare a nest in a pen for them. I move them in the evening, leaving them on their golf balls. If they stay there into the next day, I put the eggs under them. My first hatched 10 out of 12 eggs. 2 and 3 are sitting on 5 turkey eggs and 12 chicken eggs. I just put 4 turkey eggs under #4, but I haven't moved her. I couldn't break her broodiness, but I don't have anywhere to move her. I'll have to watch and move her when they hatch.

 

[rancher hicks]

I've moved 3. All at night w/ a flash light to a pen prepared just for brooding eggs. Moved them with the eggs they had. One thing about broodies is "leave them alone". You don't need to candle eggs just make sure she has food and water. When they start to hatch they hatch. She can take care of things. Unless you spot a problem, leave her to do her job. I can't stress this enough. You don't need to know how many have hatched. When she done she'll get off the nest.

 

[Country Heart]

Just want to thank everyone for their great advice. Looks like my girl has decided that she is not ready to be a mom after all. Guess I'll have to wait a bit longer for my first real broody adventure.