Uh oh i found our missing Hen ... she's gone broody in the wood pile!

[sdsmowen]

Ok so i need some advise a little over a week ago one of our Red hens went missing the same night we found a possum in the coop (we thought the possum had gotten her before we got it). Its been about 10 days now and i was checking the fence line this morning. Suprise suprise who should i come across but the red hen sitting on a nest of eggs in the wood pile!

So here is my question since we do have Roos and she is agressive if i get close to her nest should i let her finish? it has already been 10 days i dont want to mess up her first hatch but am worried about her out there at night. she looks like shes in good shape and her nest is in a pretty secure spot within the fence.

Also if she completes the hatch what can we expect.. she came from a bin at TSC labeled Red Pullets and our Roos are Golden laced wyandottes.

 

[thebanthams]

Do you have a wire fence or make one or make a little house to protect her? I have heard few times that if they move the broody hen to the coop at night, most of them failed. So shes being out there ten days, will be hard to move her !

 

[Happy Chooks]

If you have opossums out there, I wouldn't leave her out there - she won't last 3 weeks. Move her and her eggs at night to a secure location.

 

[sdsmowen]

How do i move her and the nest without causing her to abandon the eggs? She has already been sitting on them for nearly 2 weeks.

 

[thebanthams]

Thats why I dont like about it ! If you are really going to move her do it very late at night , have a box ready and put eggs in the box and carry them to the coop. slowly but her in the box, hopefully she will settled down ! ( catch the hen from behind and scoop her up she wont attack you .) let me know how it goes ! OR I hope someone else have better ideas !