Letting a broody hatch some eggs

[ForFlocksSake]

Not doomed. They've got a good chance of being fine.

Give them several days, then candle to see how they are doing. Live, healthy eggs will keep growing during that time. Dead eggs will not. If there are some dead ones and some live ones, you will probably be able to tell the difference. If they are all dead or all alive, see whether they have the right level of development for how many days they are (alive) or less development (died several days before candling.)


Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

It seems to depend on the hen. Some hens are determined to sit, and will stay anywhere you put them. Some hens are determined to sit in the place they chose and will refuse any efforts to move them. Some hens quit sitting if you disturb them (seems unlikely with the way yours has been acting, but no guarantees.)

If you move her tonight, I would check on her soon after sunup, then if she seems good, I'd check again whenever you can during the day. If she seems happy with the new place, that's great!

If you check tomorrow and she is pacing the fence trying to get back to her old nest, try putting her in the prefab coop with the nest and shut her in. I mean no access even to the run of the prefab coop, just the little dark area with the nest. Let her out once or twice a day to eat/drink/dustbathe, but other than that leave her shut in until she accepts the situation, or until it's been too many days and you give up. I'd say "too many days" would be at least three, maybe longer.

If you have a similar situation in future, it's easier to move the hen right away and give her fake eggs, so you aren't worried about the real eggs getting cold if she doesn't settle right away. Then if she is willing to set in the place you chose, you can give her the eggs you want her to hatch. But that's something to consider for next time, not anything that will help right now.

Thank you. I'll follow this advice for sure. I just moved her in complete darkness. She made a few of those broody popping sounds but then completely silent. she stayed on the new nest where I set her down. Im going to check in an hour out of curiosity. Im going to monitor her very closely tomorrow. Ill be home all day and I set up a camera on the run so I can see if she comes out.

I tried moving her when I noticed she was broody right before I put fertilized eggs under her but she wasn't having it. I was hoping I could make it work in the main coop. I may still have to, who knows. I made a lot of quick decisions, admittedly. I wish I could explain to her that this is a way better setup for her.

 

[NatJ]

I just moved her in complete darkness. She made a few of those broody popping sounds but then completely silent. she stayed on the new nest where I set her down. Im going to check in an hour out of curiosity. Im going to monitor her very closely tomorrow. Ill be home all day and I set up a camera on the run so I can see if she comes out.

How is she doing so far today?

 

[ForFlocksSake]

How is she doing so far today?

She came out this morning about 30 min after I opened the coop door. She definitely seemed confused and was trying to get to the main run (exactly how you warned). But that’s to be expected. I went out shortly after, grabbed her and put her directly back on her nest from the top of the coop and closed the door. Then around 11:30 I opened the door again. She was on the nest and came out shortly after I left. She dust bathed, ate and drank but then paced the fence again trying to get in. I think at this point she didn’t know how to get back to her nest since it’s all new. So I went back and put her in through the door this time and let her figure it out. She took a bit but eventually got in her nest. An hour later she was back out. This time really eating and drinking, then a little pacing. When I got out there to see if I can help she had already started heading back into her new home and got back in her nest. The door is still open now and I’m hoping to leave it that way till dark. We shall see!!

Thanks for checking in! So far this feels like it could potentially work. I think the initial panic was the surprise of waking up somewhere new and then not understanding how to get back to her nest.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

She’s still on edge whenever the door is open and comes out a bit frantic. She seems to have an hard time fully settling on her nest when it’s open. Around 2:45 I closed her in and I’ll leave her for the night. I’ve watched her closely enough the past 11 days to know she never came off the nest in the afternoon in her own. I’ll open the door for an hour at sunrise and again when I get home around 1:30 tomorrow. When she’s in there and the door is closed she’s comfortable on her nest.

 

[NatJ]

Glad to hear the move is sort-of working!

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Another update:

Operation relocate mama was a success! She’s been glued to her nest in her new spot all day with the door wide open. She came out midday for her break and was back on the nest 20 min later. Thank you again to everyone who guided me! Hoping I get to post a fluffy update around the 6th!

 

[malirae]

I just saw this post, I will definitely be following these chicks’ journey!

 

[ForFlocksSake]

We are day 19 here! What can I expect from her? Yesterday she actually came out twice for a break which is very different than the other days. Is this when she will lock herself down?

I AM SO EXCITED!

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Day 20. Just peaked from outside the pen and I saw 2 tiny heads pop up!!!

 

[ChickenTenderz]

I have a broody hen sitting on eggs (day 8).
I also have 5 chicks that are 6 weeks old, they are ready to move from the brooder in my sunroom to the outdoor brooder that is under our raised chicken coop. It would be a see no touch situation. My concern is would moving them out now possibly upset my broody hen and make her abandon her eggs?