So I had one broody, then two...and you know how it goes...now theres 5 of my 12 chickens setting. When there was two I gave them both fertile eggs...and somehow they moved around like musical broodys in the nesting boxes...and well...my welsummer hen got lucky with a hatch so far of 6 after one week of setting
So the dilemma is the setup. I have an area that I used last time with my broody and her chicks...and the only problem with it was that when they were under 1-2 weeks they would fall through the chicken wire and I would have to scoop them up and hand them back to momma. So I bought hardwire cloth...and was going to set up the bottom with that...but when I initially put a broody in there...she didnt take and came out of being broody
...and so I decided as they all started setting that nature must know best and this is where they want to do it.
Enter today...the hen is hungry, babies are hungry they are crazy thirsty and there simply isnt room where she is.... I put a chick feeder behind the box (mom could reach but chicks wouldnt venture there just yet) dropped a bunch of chick food into the box, and a waterer stuffed in with her...everyone was happy for food/water.
So! She doesnt want me NEAR her or the babies....and I cant move her to the sectioned part and then when another set of chicks pops from under one of my other 5 expect to put them in the pen too right? So....question is this...can I leave them here? Will the chicks fall? She is fending the other hens away well...but as they get bigger how does that work out?
Now my coop:
Its a 200 yr old coop....what you cant see is that two walls are floor to ceiling old paned windows...but on the side that is sectioned you have the nesting boxes....the sectioned part....etc. Anyhow I tried to get a lot of pics with my terrible camera phone to get an idea what is best and where to put them or leave them be? Hmmmmm
heres pics (and please pardon...the coop needs a good cleanout)
Enter today...the hen is hungry, babies are hungry they are crazy thirsty and there simply isnt room where she is.... I put a chick feeder behind the box (mom could reach but chicks wouldnt venture there just yet) dropped a bunch of chick food into the box, and a waterer stuffed in with her...everyone was happy for food/water.
So! She doesnt want me NEAR her or the babies....and I cant move her to the sectioned part and then when another set of chicks pops from under one of my other 5 expect to put them in the pen too right? So....question is this...can I leave them here? Will the chicks fall? She is fending the other hens away well...but as they get bigger how does that work out?
Now my coop:
Its a 200 yr old coop....what you cant see is that two walls are floor to ceiling old paned windows...but on the side that is sectioned you have the nesting boxes....the sectioned part....etc. Anyhow I tried to get a lot of pics with my terrible camera phone to get an idea what is best and where to put them or leave them be? Hmmmmm
heres pics (and please pardon...the coop needs a good cleanout)
