Broody hen adoption Q!

[heiditam]

This is my first time with a broody! I have so many questions.

I have a broody, and I think I may see if she stays broody, and if she does, I want to slip a couple chicks under her...

1. I have food in coop and water right outside--will she get off nest to eat/drink? If I leave here there, will she starve? It would be hard to place food in the nest box-its pretty small...

2. When it is time for her to have chicks, I know I have to move her off nest for some more room and provide chick water and food in that area-does she have to be physically seperated from flock? I am thinking of a large bin inside coop that is open-would that work? We have other hens but no roosters.

THANKS!

 

[GitaBooks]

Broody hens are awesome! But they certainly can be stressful too, take my word for it.


Here is what a broody hen usually does: She gets onto a nest and stays there a couple days, perhaps without getting off for up to four days. She than gets off, stretches, and eats and drinks for up to 20 minutes or more, depending a lot on temperature and how hungry she is.
She uses the bathroom (really big and stinky!) and might dust bathe or preen some. She talks a lot while doing so, especially if other chickens get near her, warning them she is broody. She returns to the nest, settles down, and should stay there the rest of the day. Most broodies get off in the morning, some wait a little longer.

After about a week of her doing this she should be prepared to take on chicks. Make sure they are day-olds, so they will bond to her. It is best to slip them under in the evening. Let her stay on her nest and put one under her, without letting her see it (or she may peck at it). If she excepts that one, slip the others under. Watch for a few minutes to make sure she doesn't attack them. Leave her be for at least a few hours, if not the whole night (and don't forget to remove most or all of the fake eggs under her). Than, move her and her newly bonded chicks to a crate or pen.

I like to separate my broodies because it gives the chicks a chance to get stronger, to bond with the mother, and not to have to fight over food and water. Not to mention some of my chickens like to attack chicks, chicks can drown in the water tubs I use, and there are lots of predators about. I keep my momma in her large pen and crate for 1-3 weeks, but this is longer than most people, simply because I have so many birds and have had poor success with letting them out earlier.

Put in a waterer they can't drown in or catch a chill in, but that the mother can drink from too. Put in hay for the nest in a corner, an easy to grip surface (hay, wood chips, ect) for them to walk on. It is best to put the food and water away from the nest. The mother will show it to them, but this way they can go and snuggle up without the chicks falling into the waterer or anything.

I hope this helps. feel free to ask any more questions you may have. Best of luck!

 

[heiditam]

Broody hens are awesome! But they certainly can be stressful too, take my word for it.


Here is what a broody hen usually does: She gets onto a nest and stays there a couple days, perhaps without getting off for up to four days. She than gets off, stretches, and eats and drinks for up to 20 minutes or more, depending a lot on temperature and how hungry she is.
She uses the bathroom (really big and stinky!) and might dust bathe or preen some. She talks a lot while doing so, especially if other chickens get near her, warning them she is broody. She returns to the nest, settles down, and should stay there the rest of the day. Most broodies get off in the morning, some wait a little longer.

After about a week of her doing this she should be prepared to take on chicks. Make sure they are day-olds, so they will bond to her. It is best to slip them under in the evening. Let her stay on her nest and put one under her, without letting her see it (or she may peck at it). If she excepts that one, slip the others under. Watch for a few minutes to make sure she doesn't attack them. Leave her be for at least a few hours, if not the whole night (and don't forget to remove most or all of the fake eggs under her). Than, move her and her newly bonded chicks to a crate or pen.

I like to separate my broodies because it gives the chicks a chance to get stronger, to bond with the mother, and not to have to fight over food and water. Not to mention some of my chickens like to attack chicks, chicks can drown in the water tubs I use, and there are lots of predators about. I keep my momma in her large pen and crate for 1-3 weeks, but this is longer than most people, simply because I have so many birds and have had poor success with letting them out earlier.

Put in a waterer they can't drown in or catch a chill in, but that the mother can drink from too. Put in hay for the nest in a corner, an easy to grip surface (hay, wood chips, ect) for them to walk on. It is best to put the food and water away from the nest. The mother will show it to them, but this way they can go and snuggle up without the chicks falling into the waterer or anything.

I hope this helps. feel free to ask any more questions you may have. Best of luck!

Thanks

Okay-so I can let her enjoy her nest box until after the night I give her the babies...I do have some Qs about that though-the night I plan to slip them under her, should I also put some screen over her nest so that the other hens cannot bother her inside nest once they realize there is chirping under her in the morning? Or do they not really realize? Or will she freak out about being screened in and maybe trample babies?

So...when you say you seperate them, the mama and her baby has food and water, floor space, and a nest...but she cannot get out to go dust bathe-she is locked in? Is that right? I am thinking that if there is a way out, that means there is also a way in for other birds, which would defeat the purpose, so I guess she is ok to just be immobile for a couple weeks?

Thanks so much! She is out there sitting while others are ranging-she is chirping when I come near, is all puffed up too.

 

[GitaBooks]

I put wiring over my chickens nests. It protects them from the other hens. However, if the hen does try to get out, she may panic if she can't (she probably won't panic just because of the wire). If your other chickens are pretty docile they will probably leave her alone, however, mine don't.

I put my hens into a crate for the first few days with starter food, water, and a hay nest. After they strengthen up I let them out to dust bathe in a large pen (around 12 ft x 12 ft). My hens start getting bored being in a crate after just a few days, and certainly at a week. They start getting bored of the larger pen at 2-3 weeks of age.

Hope this helps.

My hen with wiring over her nest (a small hole that she can escape from but large hens can't get in through)


My crate with the momma and her babies

 

[heiditam]

I put wiring over my chickens nests. It protects them from the other hens. However, if the hen does try to get out, she may panic if she can't (she probably won't panic just because of the wire). If your other chickens are pretty docile they will probably leave her alone, however, mine don't.

I put my hens into a crate for the first few days with starter food, water, and a hay nest. After they strengthen up I let them out to dust bathe in a large pen (around 12 ft x 12 ft). My hens start getting bored being in a crate after just a few days, and certainly at a week. They start getting bored of the larger pen at 2-3 weeks of age.

Hope this helps.

My hen with wiring over her nest (a small hole that she can escape from but large hens can't get in through)


My crate with the momma and her babies

Thank you-that was very helpful!

 

[heiditam]

I put wiring over my chickens nests. It protects them from the other hens. However, if the hen does try to get out, she may panic if she can't (she probably won't panic just because of the wire). If your other chickens are pretty docile they will probably leave her alone, however, mine don't.

I put my hens into a crate for the first few days with starter food, water, and a hay nest. After they strengthen up I let them out to dust bathe in a large pen (around 12 ft x 12 ft). My hens start getting bored being in a crate after just a few days, and certainly at a week. They start getting bored of the larger pen at 2-3 weeks of age.

Hope this helps.

My hen with wiring over her nest (a small hole that she can escape from but large hens can't get in through)


My crate with the momma and her babies

Oh just one more Q! Around 2-3 weeks are they old enough to integrate safely? And when I do, should I switch all flock to starter feed, or do the other larger hens not eat all the chicks food, and do the chicks not eat the food that falls from the larger feeder they cannot reach?

I can move mama and babies the fenced in run, which has a dust bathing area, and plenty of space, while big girls can go out the other opening to a large fenced in area and free range in yard too.

 

[GitaBooks]

Oh just one more Q! Around 2-3 weeks are they old enough to integrate safely? And when I do, should I switch all flock to starter feed, or do the other larger hens not eat all the chicks food, and do the chicks not eat the food that falls from the larger feeder they cannot reach?

I can move mama and babies the fenced in run, which has a dust bathing area, and plenty of space, while big girls can go out the other opening to a large fenced in area and free range in yard too.

Chicks are usually safe at 2-3 weeks of age, as they begin to feather-out and so are protected from any pecking they may get.

The larger hens adore eating all the chick food and not sharing! You could switch them all to starter (providing oyster shells to the hens) or you could build a little pen only the chicks can get into and eat. However, they may not use it if their mother can't fit into it.

 

[heiditam]

Chicks are usually safe at 2-3 weeks of age, as they begin to feather-out and so are protected from any pecking they may get.

The larger hens adore eating all the chick food and not sharing! You could switch them all to starter (providing oyster shells to the hens) or you could build a little pen only the chicks can get into and eat. However, they may not use it if their mother can't fit into it.

Thanks so much again! I can switch them all over.

 

[donrae]

I have a different approach in that I leave my broody hens in with the flock. I roust them out of the box each evening to check for "donated" eggs from other hens and make sure I don't need to clean out any broken eggs, etc. She uses the same feed, water and dust bathing area she's always used. Once the chicks hatch, I try (usually unsuccessfully

) to keep my hands off her until she leaves the nest on her own, usually 2-3 days after the first chick hatched. When I see her take the babies out, I clean out the nest box of the shells and any unhatched eggs. In my experience, the momma doesn't necessarily go back to the nest box to brood her babies after the first few days, she simply hunkers down on the floor with them in a corner somewhere. Momma is usually hormonal enough she easily lets the rest of the flock know not to mess with her babies. The other hens can be curious about the chicks, especially if they've never seen any before, and there can be a few pecks here and there, but it's mostly simply of the "get away from my food, you little punk. Respect your elders" type. Chick runs back to momma and everyone's fine. Be sure you have plenty of space for the chicks to get out of the mature hen's way, and some hiding places aren't a bad idea either. Be sure your feeder and waterer are low enough for the chicks to reach, or give them a step.

Raising chicks in the flock from the start eliminates the entire integration issue. They simply grow up as flock members, and they learn good manners. Especially young cockerels, they have older, wiser hens who won't put up with their hormonal crap

 

[heiditam]

I have a different approach in that I leave my broody hens in with the flock. I roust them out of the box each evening to check for "donated" eggs from other hens and make sure I don't need to clean out any broken eggs, etc. She uses the same feed, water and dust bathing area she's always used. Once the chicks hatch, I try (usually unsuccessfully

) to keep my hands off her until she leaves the nest on her own, usually 2-3 days after the first chick hatched. When I see her take the babies out, I clean out the nest box of the shells and any unhatched eggs. In my experience, the momma doesn't necessarily go back to the nest box to brood her babies after the first few days, she simply hunkers down on the floor with them in a corner somewhere. Momma is usually hormonal enough she easily lets the rest of the flock know not to mess with her babies. The other hens can be curious about the chicks, especially if they've never seen any before, and there can be a few pecks here and there, but it's mostly simply of the "get away from my food, you little punk. Respect your elders" type. Chick runs back to momma and everyone's fine. Be sure you have plenty of space for the chicks to get out of the mature hen's way, and some hiding places aren't a bad idea either. Be sure your feeder and waterer are low enough for the chicks to reach, or give them a step.

Raising chicks in the flock from the start eliminates the entire integration issue. They simply grow up as flock members, and they learn good manners. Especially young cockerels, they have older, wiser hens who won't put up with their hormonal crap

This sounds easier for sure...let me ask you this...So for those 2-3 days, do the hens and baby get off nest to eat and drink? If so, do you put the food and water very close to them so they don't have to venture far? Nest boxes are only 4 inches off floor-I shouldn't have to worry about a chick falling out and not getting back in, right? And you do not block them in with a screen? Thanks so much!!!

I have 8 hens and they get along very well-the broody I have is very docile, and I have 3 red stars that are very bossy(not bullies just bossy), and so far my broody girl has chirped when I come out but has not been aggressive-I do worry she may not be as protective as she needs to be against the 3 bossy girls, but I have never seen a broody mama, so I may be surprised, and the whole flock gets along well and has plenty of space.