To move..Or not to move? that is the question. (Broody Hen)

[petchickenlover]

My 2ish year old hen has decided to sit again this year. However, she has chosen a nesting box that is 1-2ft off the ground, and that the other hens like to use as well. Since she's lower in rank, I'm wondering if I should move her into my large brooder that I built last year for my ducks. After the chicks have hatched, she will be moved to this regardless, so I'm wondering if it's really worth it to move her now or to just wait. The chicks, if I calculated right, will be due on the 20th.

The brooder is approximately 4 or 5 feet long and about 3 feet tall. I will also provide her with outside space during the day. So what do you think..Should I move her, or just leave her be?

 

[florida lee]

I had the same problem, I went ahead and moved her and eggs to a brooder box. Glad i did. when chicks hatched they were safe and no chance of them falling out of the nest box to the floor. Where they could have been harmed by the other chickens or gotten hurt in the fall. Now that chicks are a couple of weeks old I will be moving them w/mama back to the coop. Into a protected area where they have more room and still protected from the other chickens.

 

[petchickenlover]

I had the same problem, I went ahead and moved her and eggs to a brooder box. Glad i did. when chicks hatched they were safe and no chance of them falling out of the nest box to the floor. Where they could have been harmed by the other chickens or gotten hurt in the fall. Now that chicks are a couple of weeks old I will be moving them w/mama back to the coop. Into a protected area where they have more room and still protected from the other chickens.

I'm especially worried about them falling once hatched. It's an awfully long way to fall for a baby

 

[Tripp16]

I have the same problem. Except my hen is sitting 4 feet up so I know it would be a fatal fall for a wandering chick. My plan was to move them once all the chicks hatched into a hutch. The one thing I didnt take into consideration is that the eggs may not hatch at the same time since some eggs can hatch fast and some hatch slower. Granite she only has 4 eggs if they all hatch I could have a problem.

What I want to do is put up some type of wire to allow momma out on the perch but the babies cant come out if they wander out onto the perch.

I guess we will see. She is on day 10 so its to late to move her. I havent candled yet either so Im not even sure how many are growing..

Good luck!

 

[AHDCST]

I have never had much luck with moving mom or chicks but if they must be moved for safety then as soon as the last egg hatches and before the chicks are moving around much would be the time to move them.The babies won't be up and moving around for about 48 hours. This should be plenty of time to move them to a safer location. Scarlett456, if I were you I would not bother Queen Gracie! She is too much like her momma and will not be very happy with you!

 

[Den in Penn]

If you can't bare the thought of moving her, slide a box or platform under the nest. Although they can take a fall of two feet or more into bedding they will then be separated from mom and her protection.

 

[orumpoultry]

I'm especially worried about them falling once hatched. It's an awfully long way to fall for a baby

I had a hen hatch out chicks from the INSIDE of the ROOF of my 9ft shed. I didn't know she was up there until PEEP PEEP PEEP! Somehow she got the babies down from the roof, all but two who were late hatchers. It was fun getting them out of there. They fell a minimum of 9ft to the ground from where they were, straight onto solid ground! No injuries, but I'm thinking they were tucked under her wing one by one.

Seriously though, chicks CAN be robust. But, when given the chance, I say move her ahead of time.

 

[Den in Penn]

I wanted to say they could fall much more than two feet. But I never saw a fall higher than a standing person's chest. Oops

 

[orumpoultry]

I wanted to say they could fall much more than two feet. But I never saw a fall higher than a standing person's chest. Oops

Like I said, I have no idea how mine got down. I just know where I found the nest. - I've had one make a flying leap of faith out of my hand at chest level... BUT I don't like seeing them fall, period. If you can block your hen off or make it so there's no way for the babes to fall out, she should be fine.

 

[petchickenlover]

I had a hen hatch out chicks from the INSIDE of the ROOF of my 9ft shed. I didn't know she was up there until PEEP PEEP PEEP! Somehow she got the babies down from the roof, all but two who were late hatchers. It was fun getting them out of there. They fell a minimum of 9ft to the ground from where they were, straight onto solid ground! No injuries, but I'm thinking they were tucked under her wing one by one.

Seriously though, chicks CAN be robust. But, when given the chance, I say move her ahead of time.