broody hen hached her eggs...What now?

[annabell254]

My broody little bantam has been broody for 21 days (in the nest box in the coop), and yep, there are babies under her this morning!

even after she left them to sit on another nest last week!!! but now I need to know can I move her and the babies now, I have a safe pen set up beside by coop just for this, my father used to use it, but this is my 1st time since I inherited all the birds when I bought the house haha and he moved the broody hens before the babies hatched...or do I need to wait till tonight...Yes she does bite, but she is sooo cute doing it all fluffy and stuff

the one chick I saw was fluffy, and I saw at least two broken eggs...she had 6 total and I saw 2 not broken....I do not want the roo's or other RIR to get to the babies...maybe I'll wait till she come off for food and then jet in there and move the babies to the pen beside her....she should follow them, right?

 

[chicmom]

I had this happen, and after the eggs were finished hatching, I just scooped up the babies while mama was watching, and they peeped and peeped, and she followed me to the nursery coop I have made up. It was really easy. Mama is very gentle though, and never bites me, but I'm sure she'll just follow you with no problems.

 

[annabell254]

alright the deed is done

and the babies and momma are in their new house....After I chased off the Roo that was protecting her, no easy feet and he had to be picked up and moved...good thing they are little! I had three babies out of 5 eggs...thought I had 6 eggs.. O well I put the two un hatched eggs in with her as well, as she is still sitting, I think?...and two of the babies looked wonderful the 3rd could not stand up, but I figure that may be normal if it had just hatched...she did put up a fight and I did have to use gloves, but these are more wild type of bantams and while they are not spooky you can not touch them or feed them out of your hand except for one roo, the rest just wait about 3 feet away until you leave the feed for them...or dart in and get a piece and then dart away again haha but they do not run from us they just dont get too close to us either I did not give her a chance to follow as once I took the 1st chick she got up and tried to get it back! so I picked her up and put her under my arm...she was not happy! and scolded me thoroughly, and then I had to fend off the Roo again! and he called in the rest, but they do not attack but they also were scolding me

they are too funny getting all worked up over nothing, too bad they cannot understand that I am trying to help! but we all made it out fine with no blood