I have a black silkie/game bantam who is the only hen that stays out of the pen to free range. We live far out in the country and there are many predators. We have two pens w/large yards. She likes the smaller pen and will fly in to join the others at meal time. They all seem to accept her. She suddenly didn't show up two weeks ago. I thought something had finally gotten her. Yesterday, I was walking along the edge of the woods, and came upon her with a nest! Now that the history has been told, here is my question. I would like to put wire over the top of her pen of choice and put her in it once and for all. How should I go about this and when? I candled one of her eggs, they should hatch in another 5-7 days. ANY advice would be appreciated!

I really don't know if you should do this or not, but I would just let her be and see if she hatches them and brings little chicks to you. I think there is something fascinating about a hen hatching babies all on her own in the woods - the natural way. Can you make pictures of her and the nest for all of us to see?

If I understood correctly you have adults in one of the pens. Well, I think if you want to introduce the hen to them, then you better do it before the little chicks hatch, since while they are piping in the shell, the adults can hear them and accept them from the moment they are born. If you don't do that, then you might have more problems with having to accustom the other chickens to little guys. Can you carry the whole nest to the prefered pen? Can you make one just like it and carry the hen there with the eggs?

I think that if nothing gotten her in the last 2 weeks, nothing will get her now, but if it is a long walk to your house, she might loose a few chicks to predators. There must be some genes controling her behavior, so maybe what she is doing will work absolutely fine in chicken world, and it is just our bias that makes us worry. You never know.

For several years I have had bantam ducks nest here and there around the farmstead. As you say, lots of predators around, and with ducks, there is no moving the nest--they won't accept a move where I have heard a chicken will. Anyway, I have done as you are thinking of and upend a wire basket over the bird every night, and every morning go out and remove it! Works fine. The duck got used to the wire being lowered quite quickly. Since you only have a few days left on the eggs, I'd try this rather than try and move her, and if you are like me, if a predator got her now you'd kick yourself for the next month at least.

k.daniel, The only hen I ever lost that nested "out", I lost just days before she was due to hatch. SKUNK! Skunks like their eggs well filled with a chick, and then will take the hen, too. She is most vulnerable this last week. Raccoons or foxes will take her any time they find her.

After that one experience, when I found a hen missing, I learned that when she comes in for food, at least once a day, you just sit quietly and watch her take a path back that rivals the comics character in Family Circus. Then I check the eggs, and if she has a full cluch, I move her at night--otherwise she would surely be taken by a predator! You might box her where she is, but most predators can move a box easily for a generous meal. You may live in a safer area, but I just couldn't risk losing a nice hen! Good luck!! CJR

Thank you everyone for the quick response and wonderful advice. I've decided to try and move her. Luckily, the pen she likes to visit has the sweet-tempered Ameraucanas in it. I've never seen them peck at her which I think is truly amazing as she looks so different from them. Thanks again!