I put three chicks under my broody Cochin tonight. Things seem to be going well. The chicks snuggled under my hen almost immediately and she is doing a little bit of soft cluck talking to them. They chicks are a little restless though and every time they pop out from under her she is giving them some pretty good pecks. It seems she is trying to get them back under her and not much more but I'm a little nervous!
They are in my guest room in an xtra-large dog kennel. The kind that is hard on all sides with a wire door. I'm mostly concerned that the chicks are four days old (more or less). I didn't intend on getting chicks at the feed store but we all know how that goes!
Should I put the top on the kennel and call it a night? Can things go south in the morning quickly? I'm tempted to take the day off work to keep an eye on things! I'm also tempted to sleep in the guest room tonight!
It seems like nature is taking its course but I would just hate to miss some obvious signs and make the little ones (and Mama Hen) suffer. This isn't her first time to be broody but its the first time I've let it come to fruition (kinda).
Any thoughts are appreciated! Thank you!
-Sarah
They are in my guest room in an xtra-large dog kennel. The kind that is hard on all sides with a wire door. I'm mostly concerned that the chicks are four days old (more or less). I didn't intend on getting chicks at the feed store but we all know how that goes!
Should I put the top on the kennel and call it a night? Can things go south in the morning quickly? I'm tempted to take the day off work to keep an eye on things! I'm also tempted to sleep in the guest room tonight!
It seems like nature is taking its course but I would just hate to miss some obvious signs and make the little ones (and Mama Hen) suffer. This isn't her first time to be broody but its the first time I've let it come to fruition (kinda).
Any thoughts are appreciated! Thank you!
-Sarah
