2 girls hatching eggs this week! Question inside.

[nine9d]

Hey all,

I have 2 broodies sitting on eggs that are due to hatch this week. They are still in the coop with the other girls occupying 2 nesting boxes of the 3 available. The whole flock is a bantam flock and are pretty friendly with each other except for the normal here and there. Do you think it is o.k. to let them hatch right there in the nesting boxes and raise the chickens with everyone around? I was trying to keep them together so they have familiarity with the new chicks and all that. Does that sound foolish? Thanks so much.

 

[casportpony]

I think it depends on the flock. Most of mine will ignore freshly hatched chicks, but every now and then there is one that will kill the chicks.

 

[Criticalicious]

Do you have enough space to put the broodies in their own cages with their babies within sight of the flock? That way they are safe for the first week or two, until you can be sure how the flock will treat them.

 

[Ms Clucky]

I usually bring my hen and chicks in the house for a week so the babies can have a chance to build their muscles and know how to eat,drink,ect. Then I put them in a cage in the coop for a week after that with cardboard wrapped around the sides so babies can't squeeze out. But putting them in a cage really depends on the hen. Some of my hens are really protective. If your hens are, they will probably be fine just to run around with the rest of the family. Also, when they are hatching, I put some of that plastic wire over the front of the nest so no other chicken can get in there. As soon as they all hatch is when I bring them all inside. It's your call though. Hope it works out.

 

[chickens really]

I separate into Brooder pens and then introduced at about 3 to 5 days once Chicks are up and on their feet with Momma.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We had NO IDEA what we were doing when one of the eggs unexpectedly hatched under one of our broody BOs last year, lol! This was a day or two earlier than anticipated so of course suddenly it was a 3-alarm emergency in my mind, lol! But I will tell you what we did because, a.) it was amusing, and b.) it worked, meaning everybody survived, including DH (unflappable man) and my very anxious (panicky!) self!

We went out at dusk when we could still (barely) see, with a large black rubber garbage can lid. Inverted, it was a good size to hold the contents of the nest, shredded paper, new baby, remaining eggs and all but the hen. We carried the hen separately. The kids helped, opening and closing doors and gates as we made a mad dash from hen house to well house, which we had already prepared for the new family. We transferred everyone with infinite care to the new location, praying that broody mama wouldn't abandon the whole mess. And the worst part for me was, when this all transpired, we had been heading out the door to our kids' church youth group meeting, so we had to leave immediately! We were gone several hours.

Well, when we got home all was well and mama was very protective, as expected. We ended up putting three more hens in with her and later, blocking them from each other's sight with cardboard barriers because one mother did not tolerate anyone else's babies. But before that happened, two other hens ended up sitting on four babies, with never a care for which babies belonged to which mother, and until they all integrated, those two mamas and four babies were one little family unit. The babies would run to either mother. It was nice to see. Chickens can be such nice people!

 

[casportpony]

But before that happened, two other hens ended up sitting on four babies, with never a care for which babies belonged to which mother, and until they all integrated, those two mamas and four babies were one little family unit. The babies would run to either mother. It was nice to see. Chickens can be such nice people!

I love it when they do that!

 

[nine9d]

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback. It is greatly appreciated. I do have a cage that I could put both mothers in with their babies. I monitor my girls all day long anyway so I'm a protective daddy. I wasn't so sure how I was going to do their food and water, but maybe separating them out will help with that. I think that is where I am leaning towards. Plus DW is all giddy about it, haha!