Broody Hen hatched many chicks !

[GuamChicken]

Well, thanks, but I not sure about that. I need to see what happens when i feed them, i was thinking about that. If the other chickens will tear into my chick food set up.

 

[Pork Pie]

I try to keep adult food out of reach of chicks, so they can only access starter food. Mum will be with the chicks and usually chases off any adults from the chicks food. It's not perfect, but it works for me.

Ct

 

[GuamChicken]

Hello everyone that has helped me. Now I have another question that I really need help on. So, it turns out the hatch was very successful and I have 6 healthy chicks with the mom, its really neat to see this. I always incubated and to see this is really nice. All the chicks underneath the mom. The hen left the nest and to my non surprise there were 26 eggs left in the nest !! So I see the eggs in the nest and set up my incubator. I put them all in the incubator, and as I write this 2 hatched already and I have about 4 pippers to hatch soon. How can I get the chicks back to the hen, I dont want to set up a separate brooder as the broody hen is so awesome to use as the mom. Do I add each chick to the hen as they hatch or what is the technique. I probably will have 5-6 chicks by tomorrow, so do I wait until they can walk ok then just give them to the hen ? I have no idea. Thank you..

 

[Pork Pie]

I'm no expert on this but your mum may accept new chicks when it's done ASAP from hatch. I've read it's best to put new chicks under mum on an evening and see how things go. If she is not happy with her new additions she'll likely kill them. Since she has almost hatched these, she may be fine. Guess it's a case of suck it and see. You could try with one chick and observe?

Let us know how it goes

All the best

 

[GuamChicken]

Well last tight was interesting, I had the chicks with mom and the whole flock together in coop with perch. That does not work. The reason was not from any sort of aggression, just the chaos of everyone walking around. So the water bowl tipped over, metal feeder upside down. omg, ya im not doing that again Need to corner off somewhere.

 

[Pork Pie]

Good call. A mini coop or some such thing is good when the chicks are young. I close the mini coop after mum takes the chicks inside on an evening until mum decides she's had a gut full and takes the chicks to roost with the rest of the flock. I leave their food and water in there. I open it on a morning and put it outside so they have access to it if they wish.

All the best
Ct

 

[Caroline10]

Hafa adai! I wonder if any of you can help.
I live in Palau - next to Guam - and we have a USA zip code (96940) and a USA state abbreviation - PW. Do you know of anyone on Guam who has day old chicks or fertilised eggs who can send them to Palau? Or I can pick them up?

I’m especially interested in Buff Orpington’s.