[mummy hen]

One of my hens has become broody and is laying outside in the veggie patch - not sitting on them yet, just getting her clutch together! I've moved her eggs back into the coop and shown her where they are but she's still trying to lay more in the veg patch amd not interested in the ones I've moved. Help!!

[carl]

do you want her to be broody? if not you might try sin binning her, ( a couple of days in a wire cage like a puppy crate, with protection from elements, but allowing lots of cool air trough to put her off brooding). maybe she is not really broody, just looking for a new nesting spot of her own. If you are wanting her to brood, wait till she stays sat tight on her eggs for a good while then move her eggs and all into her own broody hutch. making sure she has access to water and feed. she will get off her eggs at least once a day to do her business and refuel.
hope this is helpful.

[gillian]

Not sure if she is broody, my broody hen could not be moved and stopped laying immediatly, it was an overnight thing, you could not move her without her going straight back to coop. We had to take her out of coop as the other hens would not go into lay whilst she was there.  We put her in our dog cage, raised on bricks, with a cover over. After two days we set her free and she made a bee line to coop and went back to her broody position, it took till the 5th day before she went back to the other hens and a further week before she started laying again.

My other hen started laying in the coop and one day when the rabbit hutch was open she popped in there and every since she has been desperate to lay in there. I've fenced off the hens to bottom of garden and she is the only one who escapes and walks up and down in front of rabbit hutch, she eventually layed behind the bikes on concrete! I think maybe your hen is the same and just found somewhere she likes to lay.  A broody will not move from her spot for food or water!

hope this of help
Gillian

[Rosemary]

I agree with Gillian. She's not broody just found somewhere else to lay.

[doganjo]

One of my light sussex insists on laying on top of a one foot high brick wall!

[carl]

I've got one which finds a couple of spots, and switches. in a trailer, on top of the bale of shavings, in the straw shed, on the feed sacks and currently in a mystery spot i hav't found yet.the joy of free range.

[pigsatlesrues]

My five peneth worth also.  She has found somewhere to lay and that is her spot as far as she is concerned.  I have a little partridge who hangs on for dear life to lay inside the cave (sort of store room).  She paces and clucks for attention about mid afternoon.  As soon as the door is open she is in and out in a flash leaving behind her tiny but perfectly formed egg. 

She knows her own mind that is for sure.  I would just collect them after she has laid and enjoy them!

Kate