We have a broody! ... somewhere

[Dr.Dale]

So my buff Plymouth Rock went missing a week ago or so. I figured that either she wandered off the property away from our dog’s protection and got eaten or she was somewhere sitting on a clutch of eggs. Since she is more than a year old I suspected that she was sitting.

Well, this morning I saw her up and about coming out of the woods as I was leaving for work, so now I am almost certain she is sitting. Any suggestions on how to find the nest? If I do is it OK to move the hen and clutch to a safer area? Maybe at night.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I would try to find where the nest is and put food and water for her there. I think after she's done hatching she will probably lead the little boogers back home, but for now I will worry about her well-being and make sure she has plenty of food/water to last the duration.

 

[crazychickenlady5]

So my buff Plymouth Rock went missing a week ago or so. I figured that either she wandered off the property away from our dog’s protection and got eaten or she was somewhere sitting on a clutch of eggs. Since she is more than a year old I suspected that she was sitting.

Well, this morning I saw her up and about coming out of the woods as I was leaving for work, so now I am almost certain she is sitting. Any suggestions on how to find the nest? If I do is it OK to move the hen and clutch to a safer area? Maybe at night.

If you can follow her into the woods you might be able to find if she does have a nest. If she does have one it would be safer to move it outside of the woods as if any chicks hatch they would continue to go back in the woods. She may not want to return to the nest if moved, as some chickens are picky like this (at least mine are! ) but if that is what it takes to keep her safe then it would probably be best. We had a bantam who hatched her chicks in the woods and continued to lead them back even after they were hatched.

 

[Shadrach]

So my buff Plymouth Rock went missing a week ago or so. I figured that either she wandered off the property away from our dog’s protection and got eaten or she was somewhere sitting on a clutch of eggs. Since she is more than a year old I suspected that she was sitting.

Well, this morning I saw her up and about coming out of the woods as I was leaving for work, so now I am almost certain she is sitting. Any suggestions on how to find the nest? If I do is it OK to move the hen and clutch to a safer area? Maybe at night.

I get this problem a lot.
She will/should come out every day to eat drink and bath and poop.
I usually see the broody turn up at one of the feeding stations and hang around until she decides to return to the nest. I try to follow. Sometimes it takes a couple of goes because they can go routes I can't.
Yup, you can move her and night time is the time to do it. Most here settle in the new sight but there is a risk that she might just abandon the eggs.

 

[50-45-1]

Leaving her in the woods untill the chicks hatch is pretty risky.
It sounds like she has 2 weeks to go before the chicks come.
Maybe this weekend while you are home you can watch and listen for her. Mine have always been very noisy when they are off the nest. Follow her back at a safe distance so you dont spook her. Go back after dark with a bucket with a towel to cushon the eggs.
First, Set up a broody hutch. She will want it dark and safe with no distractions or disturbances. Do not put her in a nest box in your coop with the other chickens.
Have a incubator ready in case she breaks up.
Good luck!

 

[sylviethecochin]

I would try to find where the nest is and put food and water for her there. I think after she's done hatching she will probably lead the little boogers back home, but for now I will worry about her well-being and make sure she has plenty of food/water to last the duration.

Bad idea. If it's in the woods, that's gonna attract things like raccoons, opossums, squirrels... you know. Things that enjoy a good egg.

 

[Dr.Dale]

If it's in the woods, that's gonna attract things like raccoons, opossums, squirrels

My dogs do a great job keeping raccoons away, but apparently they don’t see possums as a threat. They just let them be.

 

[Dr.Dale]

I usually see the broody turn up at one of the feeding stations and hang around until she decides to return to the nest. I try to follow.

Maybe this weekend while you are home you can watch and listen for her. Mine have always been very noisy when they are off the nest. Follow her back at a safe distance so you dont spook her. Go back after dark with a bucket with a towel to cushon the eggs.

I was thinking along these lines. Do you know if the broody hens get into a routine? Meaning do they usually do their daily feeding at the same time each day?

 

[Shadrach]

The hens here do seem to have a routine of sorts, but I've been caught out a few times when that routine changed.
I used to leave food down here and broody hens knew the food was always there.
I feed three times a day now and pick the feed up when everyone has finished eating.
The two broody hens sitting at the moment both come out in the morning to feed; usually, but not always.
If you are outside, or are close enough to a food station as mentioned above by @50-45-1
boody hens tend to make quite a lot of noise when they appear, if there are other chickens around. I've had some 'outside' sitters that have come to feed when nobody else was about and they came and went like ghosts.

 

[Dr.Dale]

Well, I came out today about 30 min earlier than I spotted her yesterday and waited about an hour. She didn’t show up and I got hungry. So I will try again tomorrow.