Advice on hens hatching eggs

[BenAnnaMama]

I have a SFH that seems pretty broody. I usually have to convince her to get off of the eggs that I collect everyday. I was thinking she would be a good candidate to sit on some fertile eggs. I have 8 hens total and I am wondering how the others would respond to the new chicks, also, is it warm enough for the babies? It still gets down to about 35-40 degrees here at night, and would I have to take them into the coop every night or does mom just stay with them outside? And what about predators??

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I hatched a chick out this winter, 35-40 is too cold but what I did is had chicks in house during the day, and brought a hen in at night put her in a box in a dark room and put the chicks under her. then when the chicks were 4 weeks old I put them in a brooder in my coop separate from other hens, with the mom, and now they are almost 8 weeks old still with mom in regular coop.

 

[BenAnnaMama]

Well thanks for the reply! I was hoping I could do it with as little human intervention as possible! Only because I would love to see the process of a mother hen solely responsible for her chicks since I have my own two "chicks" to take care of and one on the way! Oh well... I'll just wait until I have more time to put into this project!

 

[mammat]

You need to separate momma. I let mine sit in the coop until day12 or 15 then i move her to the garage in a dog pen. It is risky to move them while sitting but i know my flock would kill the babies. After hatch i keep mom and babies in a seperate pen but where they can all see the rest of the flock until the chicks stop peeping. Momma hen still fights the others through the chicken wire!

 

[BenAnnaMama]

Ok, and thanks for your reply too. That doesn't seem so bad. Plus if they are in the garage, we can keep a better eye on them when they are hatching. Do you think I need heat lamps, etc. or does mama keep them warm enough after hatch?

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had one chick hatch in Jan. I kept it in house with heat lamp during the day, at night I brought in mom with a box. at 3 weeks I had mom in coop with baby and a heat lamp, 75-60w I can't remember till week 7 now he is running around outside with mom during day and under her wing at night evevn though he is bigger than her

 

[mammat]

Ok, and thanks for your reply too.  That doesn't seem so bad.  Plus if they are in the garage, we can keep a better eye on them when they are hatching.  Do you think I need heat lamps, etc. or does mama keep them warm enough after hatch?

nope ... no heat lamp required! My avatar is my first broody. She hatched out some sex link eggs. I think she had 8 full size babies under her and they were warm as toast! She was awesome. So much easier than heat lamps. Thay photo is not posed. That is really what they do. Wish i had a broody now!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I put my babies out in coop in a cabinet brooder with a couple of 75w lamps (the lamps are secured) chicks like the space, now two momma hens are lined up out side the pen wanting to play mumsy.

 

[BenAnnaMama]

I have two moms and 4 chicks. The first two chicks are about 2 weeks old now. The other two chicks are between 1 and 2 days old. I have one hen that is a good mama so she abandoned her eggs and I have one hen who is a good incubator so she's "kinda" abandoning her chicks. It seems like she won't let them under her and they are sleeping huddled next to her and each other. They are actively pecking around, just saw them drink water. They generally seem happy. I'm not sure if I should intervene yet. It is in the 90's where I live so I don't think the temp is an issue. Maybe at night? I have two options:

1. Let good mama mother them but that means mixing chicks that are 2 weeks apart.

2. Bring the babies into the house under a lamp.

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I just lost 3 BCM eggs to a broody.

2 green Isbar eggs may be 2 smeared with egg yolk to hatch... 3 eggs were not fertile, I have a different broody on the remaining eggs. When they hatch, I will bring them inside.

that is okay though...

I gave this mom hen these 2 chicks at 2 weeks old both parties were delighted.