Broody hen.... Now what?

[chikadeedoodah]

We have a broody hen, and we are trying to figure out if we can leave the babies to hatch under her in the coop with the rest of the crew... is it necessary to separate them, or will she show them the "ropes" and protect them from the big girls? We no longer have a rooster, but we have 23 ladies....

Thanks for any help you can provide....

 

[tykris99]

she should show them the ropes and you can leave them in there.. good luck enjoy the babies

 

[Sjisty]

Umm, how long has it been since you had a rooster? The eggs might not be fertile.

 

[chikadeedoodah]

She's been setting a week. We let our boy go yesterday (he decided to attack our daughter...), so we should be good to go.

Also the brooder box is about 8 inches off the ground with sawdust beneath. Should we build a ramp or something, or move her? We weren't planning on more chickens, but we have the room and she went broody, so why not?

(Of course another lady followed suit yesterday, so we're letting her go too... but I swear that's it!

We candled today and have no idea what we are doing, saw life in 3 of the 12, the others we weren't sure so kept them there. Removed two that were clearly no good.

I was worried there would be life in none of them because that rooster was kinda clumsy....

 

[Sjisty]

I have two broodies who just hatched their babies. I moved them after the hatch to a nest box on the floor of the coop, so the babies could go in and out. One of my broodies just tonight attacked my Aussie dog and drove her out of the coop/run, so I'm not worried about her keeping the other chickens away. They free range during the day, though, so she will be left alone with her babies. The other broody is in another coop with her rooster. Not only does he not bother the babies, he seems to guard them at times during the day when they are outside.

Good luck with your babies - there's nothing cuter than a hen with chicks!

 

[chikadeedoodah]

Thanks Sjisty, what cute photos! I sure hope our babies hatch.

 

[Equus5O]

I have a Barred Rock cross sitting on four eggs right now, since 4/21. I left her in her nest in the coop, with the rest of the flock. I haven't been planning on relocating her and her chicks (if and when there are chicks!). For one thing, I just don't have anywhere to relocate her/them to. I'll just have to reinforce the fencing at ground level, as I don't want the chicks escaping through the chain link.

Chikadeedoodah ... how do you plan on keeping the chicks away from the layer pellets? I haven't figured that out, yet.

 

[chikadeedoodah]

The layer feed will be too high for them to reach. I have it in PVC tubing that sits about 6 inches off the ground... I'm trying to figure out how to keep the hens out of the grower feed.

Anyone any suggestions? I really really don't want to have to separate them. Call me lazy... but I want the absolute lowest maintenance way to raise these little fuzz butts!

 

[MareeZoCool]

I seperated my hen when she went broody. I wanted her to have peace & relax with her new brood. April 22,23, & 24 we found new babies with her, one each day.
I won't chance the lives of these new chicks by allowing the other hens near. Momma is doing a fantastic job with her brood, teaching them how to be a chicken. I'll wait at least a month B4 allowing the other 2 hens near.

 

[chikadeedoodah]

MareeZoCool: I worry about reintegrating them... when and how do you plan on doing that?