Do You Take Newborn Chicks Away From A Broody Hen??

[flgardengirl]

Not only do I not take away the chicks from the moms, but I try to time incubator hatches with the hen's hatches, so I can foist off the incubator chicks on the new moms and not have to raise them myself.

Right now, I have 7 moms raising chicks, poults, and keets. They have traded chicks around all over, so some have groups ranging in age from 1 week to 3 weeks. They seem to do just fine.

I did have 2 hens, the first ever in over 15 years of raising chickens, that turned out to be Psycho Mom and Clueless Mom. One wouldn't quit trying to hatch them after they hatched. I think her instincts were faulty and she kept treating them like eggs, trying to turn them, etc., and every chick that hatched under her died. The other wanted to keep chicks under her constantly, and would peck them, -HARD!-if they tried to come out. Whenever chicks escaped from her, they hid in corners.

I removed them both, the chicks from Psycho Mom are with other hens, except one who was too afraid and he's in a brooder in the house, with a few others there wasn't room for with the hens. I pretty much maxed out all my hens with chicks. So the extras that would have been raised by the bad hens, I'm raising.

Yep I do that too lol !

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you. I was worried that she would give up sitting on the eggs if I moved her, but now you have said it it is obvious that I could just put them in the incubator.
Will Daddy go nuts without her. He will be all alone in the coop.

Move her and eggs at night and keep her closed up for a few days after so she gets acclimated to her new nest site. Be sure to move nesting material with her and eggs they get attached to it all.I can move broody, eggs and nest all at once and have never had one give up and walk away.

 

[suebgbr]

aww bless!!
I have 3 large coop and run set ups at the farm up the road and another 3 coop and run set ups and the 25 foot rabbit run in the back garden. They would have to come in a crate from the farm 2 mins drive away to my house, so didn't know if it would stress her, bit as you say, I can always stick the eggs in the incubator if it doesn't work.I can then leave them in so if she gets broody again, at least she is in the right place. I just usually use the rabbit run for a batchelor pad for all the boys I hatch out that don't get sold.

 

[gg706]

Could you remodel the coop a little bit with a door that you could close so the chicks don't fall down and lose access to the nest? Probably would not solve the problem this time but you could have it remodeled for the next time she decides it is hatching time...then you wont have to mess with moving her and have your rabbit run for the cockerels.

 

[suebgbr]

Could you remodel the coop a little bit with a door that you could close so the chicks don't fall down and lose access to the nest? Probably would not solve the problem this time but you could have it remodeled for the next time she decides it is hatching time...then you wont have to mess with moving her and have your rabbit run for the cockerels.

Let me think about that gg.
My Hubby is a computer geek and hopeless at D.I.Y but I suppose I could ask the guy at the farm?

You guys have given me a lot of advice so I will get off the thread now. Thank you xxx

 

[roostersandhens]

No leave the chicks with mama. but you will still need to buy them chick food and put it neer the broody hen and chicks. the chicks can not eat adult food. hope youre broody hen likes her chicks!!!!

 

[suebgbr]

i tried what you all said. i moved my silkies at night after they had settled, moved mum, eggs and nest in one box and dad in another box.
the only thing i couldnt do was shut mum in with the eggs as the roost is now a water butt on it's side in an 18 foot rabbit run.
she explored, sat out in the run away from the nest so i picked her up and put her in the water butt until she settled down on them. the next day she was great and i had high hopes but she kept coming off the eggs and laying down in the run, going back to the eggs, etc.
when i felt the eggs they were cold so i cranked up the incubator.
did i take them away too soon? did i not take them away soon enough. will they still hatch if they went cold?

 

[suebgbr]

I candled them tonight. 3 out of the 5 were kicking around. I have left all 5 in the incubator, just in case.
I will candle them in a week to see if they have grown any bigger.
Without you guys it would have been 5 dead chicks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I candled them tonight. 3 out of the 5 were kicking around. I have left all 5 in the incubator, just in case.
I will candle them in a week to see if they have grown any bigger.
Without you guys it would have been 5 dead chicks!

Great news.. keep us posted and good luck on the hatch. when is hatch date?

 

[suebgbr]

Not sure on hatch date. The eggs are about half 3/4 full and I saw some feathers so poss a week or week and half?
I will just have to suck it and see!!