Are new chicks safe with broody hen? How to tell?

[Acre4Me]

Sounds pretty good....Congrats!
Did you remove the one remaining egg?

Yes we did! and she has gotten out of the nest 2 or 3 times for brief periods today.

 

[Acre4Me]

Yes, sounds like she is showing them how to drink the water.

Be sure to put pebbles in the water bowls, so the chicks don't fall in and get chilled.
Sounds good!

Thanks! Yes, we've done the marbles before, but the only screw on water top (for the mason jar/plastic jar type) that I could find is for quail, so it is pretty narrow. It works just fine for them right now, but will be hunting for our larger one...which is somewhere...

 

[EggWalrus]

So far, So good on this first day!

She's been up from the nest a few times, but goes right back to it. She will cluck at the chicks in a low voice when we come too close.

The chicks have been inquisitive and are pecking at her or her comb or her wattles, but she just make a noise of displeasure and swings her head up and away. So far, no aggression towards the chicks.

There is a larger/taller open container of water in the brooder for her - on the far side where the chicks have not even ventured over towards. However, the momma hen wants to drink out of the much smaller waterer that the chicks are using nearest to the nest. She has also been up and eating a bit too.

If it were me, I'd get that large open top water out of the brooder. It's only a matter of time till a chick jumps in it, can't get out and drowns or dies of hypothermia. If using a regular chicken waterer, it's a good idea to put marbles in it so biddies can't drown in those as easily.

 

[Acre4Me]

If it were me, I'd get that large open top water out of the brooder. It's only a matter of time till a chick jumps in it, can't get out and drowns or dies of hypothermia. If using a regular chicken waterer, it's a good idea to put marbles in it so biddies can't drown in those as easily.

Yes, I was concerned about that too, and I will likely remove it tonight or tomorrow. It has really tall sides - about chest height for the momma hen when she stands. I just wanted her to be able to get a lot to drink if she needed it since she's been in a nest for weeks. But, for sure, I don't want drowned little chicks just because they were trying out their wings! Currently, they are being very cute when they stretch out one wing and tiny leg then walk a few steps and stretch out the other tiny wing and leg!

 

[Acre4Me]

If anyone wants to venture breed guesses on these bargain bin cuties, here is the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/random-chicks-help-with-breed-id-please.1272246/

A few have been figured out, but there are still a few mysteries!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hens should stay in the nest for 3 days post hatching. Day 22, 23, & 24.
This gives the chicks a chance to absorb the rest of the egg yoke, rest from the ordeal of hatching, and of course dry off. Chicks that have already hatched may have bonded with some other hen, chicken, animal, or inanimate object and not display as much attention to its adoptive mother as normal.

 

[Mwahoski]

My experiences with my broody buff is that she didn't move around or make much noise when she was still sitting on eggs until they all hatched or I put my hand in. One late night I took the unfertilized egg from under her and the next morning she was completely focused on the chicks that did lay.
Congrats by the way, watching the babies hatch and momma take care of them is a very fulfilling thing to watch.

 

[Acre4Me]

Here is an update: Hen is doing great! I've attached 2 pics - one from yesterday (Sunday) when the babies had been with her for one full day and night where she called them to her in the nest to protect them form the large animals (us) prowling around the enclosure and fluffed herself up. The next is from today when she was keeping them close while eating. So all seems well.

Next step is to move them out to the run for a bit each day, and work on getting them a space in the coop (enclosure).