Broody adopting baby chicks: moving logistics

[Emybec]

We just placed two baby chicks under a broody hen who has been broody for a month. We placed them at 4:00 in the morning and now it’s 10:00 am. I’m just wondering when I can move them. I have a little set up for them on the ground with a cat carrier and a space of their own. Is there a best time to do that?

 

[nuthatched]

Once she leaves the nest, she'll likely nest on the ground and protect them.

 

[Emybec]

Once she leaves the nest, she'll likely nest on the ground and protect them.

Thank you! So far she’s continuing to just sit in one place. So should I wait for her to move about? Thanks for your reply!

 

[nuthatched]

Thank you! So far she’s continuing to just sit in one place. So should I wait for her to move about? Thanks for your reply!

I'd give her more time, if she doesn't move by tomorrow , move her down.
She doesn't need a seperate area usually.

 

[Emybec]

I'd give her more time, if she doesn't move by tomorrow , move her down.
She doesn't need a seperate area usually.

Thank you!

 

[SamLockwood]

She'll wait until the chicks get their legs under them and start getting hungry. Depending on mommas place on the pecking order and if you you have other broodies you may need to separate or not. It depends on how they interact.

This year I had multiple broodies that hatched multiple chicks and I had to separate them because they were fighting over chicks. So I rigged up a sort of screen door divider in the coop and put the hen that that was willing to mother all five in the "safe zone". One of the other broodies quickly lost interest but two of the others hung around and after a week calmed down enough I let them mix again.

Alpha mom took a couple of pecks at the other two to let them know she was boss but the other than that the three of them co parented the chicks as a group this year. Last year they parented their chicks separately. Go figure .

I've found with chickens you've always got to be ready to improvise.

 

[Emybec]

Thank you, that’s such an interesting experience with the pecking order and co-parenting! Our little broody is at the bottom of the pecking order so I was worried about letting the other chickens near the chicks while they’re so little. Luckily, I was able to successfully move mama and babies to their own space where the others can see them but not interfere. I did the same thing as you, kind of dividing up the coop with wire screens.