BROODY HEN just hatched eggs

[ChickenDude12345]

Okay here’s the situation. My broody hen just hatched some chicks today after incubating in my garage in a 2ft by 4ft box. Most days I brought her out for a half hour a day to eat, drink, and dust bath. She was around the free ranging flock for that half hour. The last four days before hatch I went on vacation and had my neighbor watch her. She just hatched today and I am coming home tomorrow. When I get home how long should I keep her in the box? Can I put her straight back into the flock? I have a ten by twenty run and a fence surrounding the whole coop. Will they get attacked? Should I put a smaller coop inside the run to get them accustomed to each other or is that not necessary? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Sussex19]

I think it just depends on the other hens and rooster if you have one, in my flock the very worst that's happened is just a slightly spiteful peck by a hen, and ones the rooster tried to mate with the broody when all the chicks were underneath.
However if you have any doubts about how the others will behave than a smaller coop inside does sound like a good idea.
Also maybe what an extra day before moving them, just in case there's any late to hatch.

 

[ChickenDude12345]

I think it just depends on the other hens and rooster if you have one, in my flock the very worst that's happened is just a slightly spiteful peck by a hen, and ones the rooster tried to mate with the broody when all the chicks were underneath.
However if you have any doubts about how the others will behave than a smaller coop inside does sound like a good idea.
Also maybe what an extra day before moving them, just in case there's any late to hatch.

Thanks for the advice I’m trying to find a smaller coop to put inside the run but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get one in time. I think they would be fine but I’ve never experienced them around chicks so I have no idea!

 

[Sussex19]

Thanks for the advice I’m trying to find a smaller coop to put inside the run but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get one in time. I think they would be fine but I’ve never experienced them around chicks so I have no idea!

You can always just watch them for a while, and see how they to and intervene if necessary.

 

[ChickenDude12345]

You can always just watch them for a while, and see how they to and intervene if necessary.

UPDATE: I built a temporary Wall between the run and put a box in their side covered with plastic so they can still see each other through the wire. But one thing is for sure when I had to move them she was not happy to be separated from them

 

[Sussex19]

UPDATE: I built a temporary Wall between the run and put a box in their side covered with plastic so they can still see each other through the wire. But one thing is for sure when I had to move them she was not happy to be separated from them

Sounds good!
And yes broody hens sure don't like one interfering!

 

[SmiYa0126]

UPDATE: I built a temporary Wall between the run and put a box in their side covered with plastic so they can still see each other through the wire. But one thing is for sure when I had to move them she was not happy to be separated from them

Congratulations!!! This is great news! Did she hatch anymore eggs?

 

[ChickenDude12345]

Congratulations!!! This is great news! Did she hatch anymore eggs?

She ended with 8 chicks. Three died fully developed in the eggs and one didn’t develp but I’m still happy with my hatch rate

 

[SmiYa0126]

She ended with 8 chicks. Three died fully developed in the eggs and one didn’t develp but I’m still happy with my hatch rate

That's great! I'm sorry about losing the three fully developed, that's so sad. Yes, that's a great hatch rate!

 

[ChickenDude12345]

That's great! I'm sorry about losing the three fully developed, that's so sad. Yes, that's a great hatch rate!

I know right! Not sure what went wrong but I did see one in the next that she tried to help out of the shell. Pretty cool seeing how nature works