Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Keggen -

I just tried to measure mine but the set up isn't ideal for opening the segregated area without the chicks escaping, so I can only estimate that it's about 32" inches long and roughly 18" deep. It's for a 50-pound dog and more than enough room for Chickadee and her peeps, but she's only a bantam so she has that going for her. I did let her have the run of the enclosure, which is 84" long and about 24" deep, but she often takes her babies back into the open kennel anyway. I have another bantam who is hinting at sitting on a clutch in the coop, so I might move her into the kennel; even so, there would be plenty of room for Chickadee in the rest of the area, which is only slightly larger than the crate. I used a small rabbit-size water bottle and, when she was only in the crate, a screw-on small food dish on the door of the crate, which eliminated the issue of cramped quarters spills. Mama and babies figured it out immediately. Now my only question is when to let her out into the coop (which has open access to outside...gulp) with her babes...

Here are some photos so you can see what I mean by the size (again, she's a bantam so judge by that):

Chickadee with her babies (one at the water, two at the food dish - hard to see with the mesh screen. Sorry.)


The whole segregation space with the crate:


A lot of the other hens have been making nests in front of her screen (you can see a hollow in the photo above), so socialization seems to be happening, which is why I went with the crate/enclosure idea rather than a separate coop for the chicks. Good luck!

Looks like an awesome set up for a broody and babies! If the other hens aren't being really pushy I would give mamma and babies a few days to make sure everyone is really mobile and then open it up and let mamma decide when and where to take the babies. Just hang out and watch for problems with other hens but mamma will turn into a T-Rex when it comes to other birds being too close to the babies, so she should be fine.
If you do see an agressive hen really bothering her or the babies then you can either put the partition back up or use the box to isolate the nasty hen for a day or two, which should help get her back in line.

 

[weeshanti]

Good to know, fisherlady! Thanks!

I have two roosters and a flock of guinea hens in the coop as well - are they typically a threat to the chicks?

 

[fisherlady]

Good to know, fisherlady! Thanks!

I have two roosters and a flock of guinea hens in the coop as well - are they typically a threat to the chicks?

Our roosters haven't been at all... in fact they tend to be intensely curious about them and it may freak the broody out a bit but it usually gets settled out quickly.

Now having said that... our roos are very easy going fellows, and all birds have differences in personality, so watch the flock dynamics for a while to see how everyone responds to the babies and if they respect the broody when she goes T-rex on their butts for getting to close. If you have flock members that don't seem to get the message then you may want to consider an intervention, but you may be amazed at just how intimidating your little banty can be when she has chicks with her.

I can't advise on the guineas... I have never had them... hope someone else can chime in on them.

 

[chicken pickin]

I have a question

My broody cochin hatched chicks and has been raising them for 6 weeks. The other day she left them and wondered about the yard with out them and today I found an egg from her. Does that mean she is done raising them or will she lay eggs and continue to watch over them? Im just wondering if it is time to put her in one of the coops to join a flock and find a home for the 6 week olds.

 

[fisherlady]

I have a question

My broody cochin hatched chicks and has been raising them for 6 weeks. The other day she left them and wondered about the yard with out them and today I found an egg from her. Does that mean she is done raising them or will she lay eggs and continue to watch over them? Im just wondering if it is time to put her in one of the coops to join a flock and find a home for the 6 week olds.

She is done being 'mommy' for the most part. She may still let them hang around her, or she may suddenly start to peck them for getting near her and treat them like they are the new flock members who have to earn their way into the pecking order. Most likely you will see her start to roost with the rest of the flock and leave them to fend for themselves most of the time. Sometimes the hens stay with them longer but not often.
How you re-introduce her and the babies to the flock will depend on how you had them separated. But she is ready from the sounds of it.

 

[chicken pickin]

She has never been in my flock. I got her back in early Feb from another BYC member she was in quarantine in my large garage brooder well a few weeks into quarantine she went broody so I gave her eggs she hatched them in the garage and has been raising the babies there also. The chicks will be rehomed 3 black sexlink pullets. And the Cochin will join one of my flocks soon I suppose. I guess she is ready before I was lol.

 

[melina90]

For those of you who put a kennel in your coop for the hen and her chicks, what size would you recommend? I don't have a ton of space but want to make sure I get one big enough for them. Dimensions would be helpful!

I tried using a medium sized dog kennel for my bantam cochin, but she wasn't having any of it.So I just fenced off a corner of the coop for them, it's about 0,75 squaremetres and they can both see and hear the rest of the flock.I used composting-fences to segregate them, works wonders.


Just had to throw in a little bragging-photo....Oldest chick is 5 days, youngest is only 3.

 

[fisherlady]

I tried using a medium sized dog kennel for my bantam cochin, but she wasn't having any of it.So I just fenced off a corner of the coop for them, it's about 0,75 squaremetres and they can both see and hear the rest of the flock.I used composting-fences to segregate them, works wonders.


Just had to throw in a little bragging-photo....Oldest chick is 5 days, youngest is only 3.

Bragging photos always good!!!
So cute!!

 

[el pollo rey]

Looks like an awesome set up for a broody and babies!  If the other hens aren't being really pushy I would give mamma and babies a few days to make sure everyone is really mobile and then open it up and let mamma decide when and where to take the babies.  Just hang out and watch for problems with other hens but mamma will turn into a T-Rex when it comes to other birds being too close to the babies, so she should be fine.
If you do see an agressive hen really bothering her or the babies then you can either put the partition back up or use the box to isolate the nasty hen for a day or two, which should help get her back in line.

. Nice

 

[Keggen]

Thank you, those help me visualize what I should be doing!