1 broody warren hen

[ac10mol]

Hi all I'm new to broody chickens and I have got 2 x warrens and 1 is broody she has been sitting on fertile eggs for around 1 week now she's in a old rabbit hutch with food and water I've been lucky today and seen her moving eggs around no other chicken can get to her so was wondering will she be ok in hutch and will I need to do any thing else or just cross fingers all honest help and advice is good as dont want to lose hen or eggs she dosnt come out of hutch she sits most of day what I've seen any way cheers all

 

[sourland]

As long as the hutch is predator proof, all should go well. She knows what to do. Do you have things set up so that she MUST leave the nest to drink and eat? Hens provided with food and water at the nest site frequently defecate in the nest and defile the eggs. Best wishes for a successful hatch.

 

[ac10mol]

Hi thanks for reply water and food in the nest with her as I'm not sure if to take her off and how long for and as I have 1 other warren I have feed and give her water to day she had water but I had to hold it for her and food she hasn't really touched it she did yesterday as I put pellets in but tryed chick crumbs really want to show my 4 year old daughter how to raise chickens I clean poo from around her thanks for help

 

[LillianMae]

You should definitely make sure she's not pooping by the nest, even if you clean it up, poop by the nest makes it easier for bacteria to get into the eggs

 

[sourland]

Move the food and water away from her nest, and make sure that she leaves the nest daily to assure that she does not ruin the eggs by pooping in the nest.

 

[MyHaven]

Hi in Australia I'm used to calling them clucky, whatever we call them mums to be work hard.

I'm no expert but i have found that mums go into a trance like state, so don't eat like that. Place the food and water away a little from the nest and she'll get up to it when she's ready to eat, poop and stretch her legs.

I put my mum to be in a small coop inside the run. I leave the door open during the day so she can get out when she wants. Before the eggs hatch the other girls don't go near the coop or nest. When they are due to hatch i keep it shut. When the babies hatch they are safe from the other chooks and visible to enable introduction. Can you move the hutch into the run, is it the type that can be moved. That would add an additional layer of security against varmints.

Try to disturb her as little as possible. They can come off the nest and not go back if they get disturbed too much.

She'll know what to do when it needs to be done. I noticed last week that my mother hen was not getting off the nest at all and there was four days before the eggs were due to hatch. They hatched two days early so it was right to trust it.

Do her a favour, because she's not getting off the nest for enough dust baths she's susceptible to mites depending on your climate, so give her nest and surrounds a dust with DE or some other safe powder.

 

[ac10mol]

Hi all thanks for replys it's ace I don't have a run for her as she and other 1 have whole garden to run around I've took her off today and she did a massive smelly poo ever and then stretched her legs for around 2mins out side of hutch then went back in I don't want other hen fighting with her so keep her in hutch with the ability to stretch and clean in there she did have water an food right next to her in hutch but I will be taking these out or getting her out everyday off best to streach legs all she did wen she got out was make noise and then walked back to hutch and sat on eggs I have given her grapes and she eat them but won't eat chick crumb or pellets and other ideas can make separate run would this be a problem cheers for all the help

 

[ac10mol]

Would she be ok with other hen in garden so I don't have to lock her in hutch with food and water???

 

[MyHaven]

How big is the hutch?

Do you mean you are forcing her off the nest when you say "getting her off"? If so you run the risk of her deserting the eggs. She'll get off when and for how long it suits her and when it's ok for the eggs. If she's making a lot of noise it may mean she's upset. She's possibly not staying off as long as she would if she got off in her own time. I would leave it open so she is free to get off and out when she wants. Which is not much.

Does the other one fight with her normally? There's no reason they should fight. When the chicks hatch the other one may harm them. You will need an area big enough then for the new family to scratch around in safe from the other hen and predators like crows, hawks, cats and dogs. You should get ready in advance of the hatch.

When will they hatch?

I believe instinct kicks in and as long as mothers have access to what they need, they do what's best.

 

[ac10mol]

Ok they don't fight just scared they will if I leave door open but will let her have all the room she needs they shoul hatch between 1st week of may fingers crossed so when is best to make separate run so little 1s are on with mother.in hutch there's enought room to flap and streach and walk around sleeping area of hutch is for other hen as she still lays and dosnt often go broody thanks for all help and surrport any more will help