Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Yard full o' rocks]

Ok all....my broody mama seems to have hatched 6-7 chicks and only the one deformed one was found dead outside the box. Today is the third day after hatch and she has not brought them out of the box yet. Its 60F and not too chilly....was hoping to see her out and about today. I can tell she has been out, but not the chicks

I built a long ramp from the box to the ground (box is only about 1ft over the floor) so the chicks could walk up/down the ramp instead of jumping

Do I just let nature take its course or do I pull her and the chicks out of the box so they can eat/drink?

This is her first time so I don't know what to expect of her

THANKS

 

[Wynette]

Hey, Scott - I would personally just let her be a momma. She knows what to do. The chicks will follow her out when she feels they're ready. Congrats on the babies!

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Hey, Scott - I would personally just let her be a momma. She knows what to do. The chicks will follow her out when she feels they're ready. Congrats on the babies!

Thanks lady!! I guess I'm just impatient and worry too much! Gotta remember that they know better what to do than I do...

Thanks again

 

[Lacy Blues]

Scott,

If the box is 12" off the floor and even if you had a ramp the chicks probably couldn't get back into the box. They just don't understand. I would put the nest box on the floor or take it out altogether. She will snuggle with them on the floor of the coop and they'll be able to get to the food and water which they will need by now.

 

[Wynette]

Scott,

If the box is 12" off the floor and even if you had a ramp the chicks probably couldn't get back into the box. They just don't understand. I would put the nest box on the floor or take it out altogether. She will snuggle with them on the floor of the coop and they'll be able to get to the food and water which they will need by now.

They'll know to follow momma.

Either way will work, though. It's probably more about owner comfort level than anything. I have friends who have a huge, very old, very tall barn; they have hens that fly up to the hay mow and hatch chicks up there, and HOPE DOWN onto a big pile of hay after just a few days. Would scare me to death, but hens do it every year at her place and none perish.

 

[qball53]

Scott,

If the box is 12" off the floor and even if you had a ramp the chicks probably couldn't get back into the box. They just don't understand. I would put the nest box on the floor or take it out altogether. She will snuggle with them on the floor of the coop and they'll be able to get to the food and water which they will need by now.

Sorry have to say this is not always the case. We had a broody splash marans with one hatched chick. We placed her in the splash coop with a wire caged on the floor. We later found the hen and her 2-3 day old chick in the coop nest box 3' off the floor? Go figure

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Ok all....my broody mama seems to have hatched 6-7 chicks and only the one deformed one was found dead outside the box.  Today is the third day after hatch and she has not brought them out of the box yet.  Its 60F and not too chilly....was hoping to see her out and about today.  I can tell she has been out, but not the chicks

I built a long ramp from the box to the ground (box is only about 1ft over the floor) so the chicks could walk up/down the ramp instead of jumping

Do I just let nature take its course or do I pull her and the chicks out of the box so they can eat/drink?  

This is her first time so I don't know what to expect of her

THANKS

At this point, I definitely wouldn't worry. Sounds like you have done everything you should. I've often thought the chicks dictate the pace. Sounds like your broody is doing brilliantly. She will bring them out when she and they are ready. There is also a very good chance, once they leave that box, they won't return. She'll mother them somewhere else.

 

[Pathfinders]

... but would like to take on a breed that very few are breeding, hence my problem|!!!!! I prefer to raise what everyone else isn't raising, or what is not popular but in need of preserving. I do like a good challenge!

You can always check the ALBC list of breeds that are at Critical status and see if you can find some of those to work with. Check this link (scroll down for the Poultry listings) to find some breeds to check out): http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#

 

[catdaddyfro]

Ok all....my broody mama seems to have hatched 6-7 chicks and only the one deformed one was found dead outside the box. Today is the third day after hatch and she has not brought them out of the box yet. Its 60F and not too chilly....was hoping to see her out and about today. I can tell she has been out, but not the chicks

I built a long ramp from the box to the ground (box is only about 1ft over the floor) so the chicks could walk up/down the ramp instead of jumping

Do I just let nature take its course or do I pull her and the chicks out of the box so they can eat/drink?

This is her first time so I don't know what to expect of her

THANKS

If she still has some unhatched eggs in there Scott you may have to remove those to encourage her to depart, otherwise generally the chicks hungry chirp/cheeps whichever it is will/should tell her to head out in search of food and drink unless she is absolutely not a good momma hen, this happens too, but usually if they go thru the duration of the hatch then they are in it for the long haul LOL(generally/not always though).

Jeff

 

[3riverschick]

Scott,

If the box is 12" off the floor and even if you had a ramp the chicks probably couldn't get back into the box. They just don't understand. I would put the nest box on the floor or take it out altogether. She will snuggle with them on the floor of the coop and they'll be able to get to the food and water which they will need by now.

Hear, hear to this! I put a small platform in front of my nestbox so March could get the chicks out. Once they were out, she brooded them just fine on the floor of the coop. It was sub zero weather. But I had a 65 watt light in the 4x6 coop to keep it above freezing.
One thing I would do is remove the cock from the coop. Also not have the shavings too deep. I had problems with both. I forgot the hen was wary of her cock. Even tho he didn't hurt anyone. She dug a real deep hole in the shavings and settled the chicks inside to protect them. In the process, one chick got stomped and died. It was an accident. Without the cock in there, she didn't dig so deep. They are 5 weeks today and feathered out. Starting Sat. it will be warm enough to put them out. March is really looking forward to that!
Best,
Karen