advice with new mama

[chicky1016]

My broody hatched her 5 babies 2 days ago. She is in a rabbit hutch that was converted to a small run/coop with the box at the top for the (coop) part, and a ramp going down to the bottom where the dirt is. I have food and water in the coop part, which is not very big. Mom has not come off the nest yet, other than to move about 5 inches forward so she could reach the food and water. Well now we have an issue of her pooping in the box, and it's big nasty broody poop. So my question is, at what point do I take the food away and move it to the bottom where the dirt is? Will she move them downstairs when she is ready, regardless of where the food is? I do not want to take it away too soon, but I cannot have her pooping in such a small spot. It would be different if I could clean it out but she's a mean nasty beast right now, and I cannot get my arm in there to get it.

 

[PD-Riverman]

So my question is, at what point do I take the food away and move it to the bottom where the dirt is? Will she move them downstairs when she is ready, regardless of where the food is?

In my opinion and experience(over 150 broody hens in the last 3 years) I Never have food and water where she can get it while in the nest----HUGE, Stinky Poop Happens. All food and water is as far away from her in my private hatching pens as it can be. Why would she get off the nest---food, water, babies all right there and you clean up the poop----she has got it made. My hens are off the nest the next day after the chicks dry/hatch to "GO" and get some food.

Why has she not gotten off the nest(besides the food)? Is there still unhatched eggs in the nest? As soon as the "hatch" is over I clean out the nest, shells, unhatched eggs, etc.

You will have to watch the chicks and the ramp----some chicks do not pick up "ramps" easy and might have to be placed with Mom at a little before dark for a couple days. "I" personally would not want a ramp, but you have to use what you got. Good Luck

 

[chicky1016]

In my opinion and experience(over 150 broody hens in the last 3 years) I Never have food and water where she can get it while in the nest----HUGE, Stinky Poop Happens. All food and water is as far away from her in my private hatching pens as it can be. Why would she get off the nest---food, water, babies all right there and you clean up the poop----she has got it made. My hens are off the nest the next day after the chicks dry/hatch to "GO" and get some food.

Why has she not gotten off the nest(besides the food)? Is there still unhatched eggs in the nest? As soon as the "hatch" is over I clean out the nest, shells, unhatched eggs, etc.

You will have to watch the chicks and the ramp----some chicks do not pick up "ramps" easy and might have to be placed with Mom at a little before dark for a couple days. "I" personally would not want a ramp, but you have to use what you got. Good Luck

Ah, yes there are 2 unhatched eggs. Maybe I should just take them away? If I move the food and water, will she still continue to sit because of those eggs?

 

[hannahsflock]

I've had many broody hens over the past years of keeping chickens, and what works for me is completely separating the hen from the rest of the flock, once I know she is serious about hatching, in a smaller coop with fresh hay and food and water (not too close to her nest, she can get up and walk to eat and drink when she wants to). I had a bad experience with feeding a hen while she was on her nest. I put the food close to her to make sure she would eat, and she ended up eating her eggs.

Also had a bad experience with letting my broodies hatch in the main coop with my other chickens. She would switch nests, and if I wasn't able to check for extra eggs laid under her by other hens everyday, I would have some eggs hatching while the rest were only half developed. It just didn't work for me.

Thought I'd just share those tips.

Ah, yes there are 2 unhatched eggs. Maybe I should just take them away? If I move the food and water, will she still continue to sit because of those eggs?

I would candle those two eggs and check if they do actually have chicks inside. They might be clears (infertile), or may have died earlier in development. If they don't show signs of hatching, I would suggest moving the mommy and her babies down to ground level with food and water close by. And throw the 2 unhatched eggs out. When I have a broody hen incubating in a nest box, I usually move the hen and chicks down to ground level once the eggs have hatched and she's ready to start looking after her chicks. I would do it at night, when she would be less likely to get stressed out, and put her chicks down on the ground first, then move her down next to them. They should then slip underneath her and she will take care of the rest.

Hope that made sense. This is just what I've found works for me.

Best of luck,
Hannah

 

[PD-Riverman]

Ah, yes there are 2 unhatched eggs. Maybe I should just take them away? If I move the food and water, will she still continue to sit because of those eggs?

If you "KNOW" those 2 eggs were set at the same time---not added a day or 2 or 3 or 4 later. I would remove/discard them. If they were added some days later-----if you do not allow that to happen again---Life with broodies will be easier on you and them.

 

[chicky1016]

Ok so I first grabbed one chick and showed it to her outside of the nesting box and she immediately came running down to get it. But then all the other chicks were left upstairs. So I took them down as well and put the food and water downstairs. Cleaned out the nesting area too. I have a feeling tonight when it's time to go to sleep, I'm going to have to gather up the chicks and put them in the box because I don't think they'll be able to go up the ramp on their own. Still wondering how I'm going to do this. Maybe grab a chick and put it in the box and then she'll go to it? And then just gather the rest and bring them to her..? Because I cannot see her going to the box and staying there without her chicks. She has to be locked up in the box at night because of the predators.

 

[chicky1016]

And the 2 eggs were duds. I first candled them and then cracked them open and the yolk was chunky with white spots. No hint of any blood or veining.

 

[JenniferCNY]

I blocked my broody in her box for a few days but took her and her two babies to food, water and scratch time fully supervised. I had little cups of food and water in there too but since they were in the coop with the hens I wanted a bit of seclusion.

Gave me a chance to clean out nest and deal with unhatched eggs. Then after a few days the babies figured out how to get back in the nest so I blocked off the exit from the coop so they could get to food and water. I still gave them supervised free range time.

Then at 9 days old they figured out how to get out of the coop and mama always has been right there with them. She somehow taught them at 10 days old how to get up the big ramp.

It felt like every day I was dealing with a new issue in terms of what mama and the chicks needed and were able to do.