- May 14, 2014
- 55
- 3
- 31
Hello,
So unexpectantly for me, I have about 15-20 new Buff Orpington chicks under a broody hen. I always use an incubator, but I was out of town awhile and this happened. Long story... So now the chicks are hatching as I write this, I researched the forums and there is so many postings I guess I need so help sooner than later. The flock is 5 BO hens and one BO rooster,who is a very calm rooster. The hen is in a box on the upper deck of the coop. My questions are. Do I need supplemental heating , ie. the heating lamps, or no. I live on Guam so its hot outside now anyway. Do I need to separate the chicks with mom to another place. I hope not, bc the flock has not bothered the broody hen at all that I could see. I also have a feeling the other hens are laying in her box, which i don't understand since I have 4 boxes, but I think they are. I thought about isolating the top deck of the coop from the rest, leaving just the broody hen and chicks by themselves until the chicks were a week or two old, that would be easy to do. But then the rest of flock would not be able to sleep on their usual roost , if that matters ? Thanks for all advice and help. !
So unexpectantly for me, I have about 15-20 new Buff Orpington chicks under a broody hen. I always use an incubator, but I was out of town awhile and this happened. Long story... So now the chicks are hatching as I write this, I researched the forums and there is so many postings I guess I need so help sooner than later. The flock is 5 BO hens and one BO rooster,who is a very calm rooster. The hen is in a box on the upper deck of the coop. My questions are. Do I need supplemental heating , ie. the heating lamps, or no. I live on Guam so its hot outside now anyway. Do I need to separate the chicks with mom to another place. I hope not, bc the flock has not bothered the broody hen at all that I could see. I also have a feeling the other hens are laying in her box, which i don't understand since I have 4 boxes, but I think they are. I thought about isolating the top deck of the coop from the rest, leaving just the broody hen and chicks by themselves until the chicks were a week or two old, that would be easy to do. But then the rest of flock would not be able to sleep on their usual roost , if that matters ? Thanks for all advice and help. !