Broody Hen Thread!

[artsy.owl]

I have a first time Broody. Giant Norma was found 4 days into sitting on a dozen eggs...we dont have a rooster! I got several fertile eggs from a friend and swapped them in the dark one night. At this point, she should have 10 days remaining to get to day 21. My two main questions are:
1- Do we need to make her get up to eat and drink, or is she ok? We’ve put some feed and water next to her for several days, but doesn’t she need to poop at some point??
2- I’m posting a picture of our coop/run. She is sitting just inside the door to the left in the corner. (X marks the spot) The door is about 3.5’ above the ground. I’m worried chicks will fall out the door after they hatch and are walking around. Should I/can I move her to a wire dog kennel down on the floor of the run? Or will disturbing her break her from sitting? There’s not really a way to make a brooder area within the coop.

Thanks for any help. We’ve never had a broody hen and have only had chickens in general for a year!

 

[trudyg]

Bertha had the babies out for the day today. I removed the wire between her area and the rest of the coop this morning after the bigs went out. I usually scoop and fill feeders as they come off the roost. When I got home from work they were out in the run getting some sun. She chased away one of the bigs once and then the roo stepped in between the other bigs and her with the littles, so sweet. He's watching out for them, good boy!

 

[Redhead Rae]

Bertha had the babies out for the day today. I removed the wire between her area and the rest of the coop this morning after the bigs went out. I usually scoop and fill feeders as they come off the roost. When I got home from work they were out in the run getting some sun. She chased away one of the bigs once and then the roo stepped in between the other bigs and her with the littles, so sweet. He's watching out for them, good boy!

Very good boy. That is one thing I look for in my keeper roosters.

 

[Perris]

I’m worried chicks will fall out the door after they hatch and are walking around. Should I/can I move her to a wire dog kennel down on the floor of the run? Or will disturbing her break her from sitting?

I wouldn't move her at this stage. Can you rig up some temporary platform below the entrance, out of stacked crates (like the one below it in the photo) with a box on top for example, so if they do fall they don't fall far? (and obv keep a very close eye on it around hatch date)

Do we need to make her get up to eat and drink, or is she ok?

she's ok; when and if she needs to go, she will.

Good luck! I love having a broody and chicks

 

[trudyg]

Could you maybe tape a cardboard 'fence' over the 3" or so bottom side of the hole. that would be a quick fix for the first day or so to prevent them falling out. 3.5' isn't that high for you to create a gently sloped ramp, either.

 

[trudyg]

So Bertha has been taking out the babies for several days now. There is always one who 'misses' the ramp when she goes in and it peeps and peeps until I pick it up and put it in the coop. It'll go halfway up the ramp and then hop off, the dummy. How long before baby figures it out? The other 2 are great, I guess they watch her better than this loner? I'm afraid I won't know it's out or not find it to put it in. Why doesn't she come out and get it? The bigs peck at this little when it's dashing around peeping, I'm afraid they'll keep it out when I was hoping they'd go in and it would follow them. Ugggh.

 

[Redhead Rae]

So Bertha has been taking out the babies for several days now. There is always one who 'misses' the ramp when she goes in and it peeps and peeps until I pick it up and put it in the coop. It'll go halfway up the ramp and then hop off, the dummy. How long before baby figures it out? The other 2 are great, I guess they watch her better than this loner? I'm afraid I won't know it's out or not find it to put it in. Why doesn't she come out and get it? The bigs peck at this little when it's dashing around peeping, I'm afraid they'll keep it out when I was hoping they'd go in and it would follow them. Ugggh.

Some chicks are dumber than others it should get it eventually, just keep and eye out.

 

[trudyg]

I just spent an hour trying to herd 2 into the coop, finally caught 1 and the other is still loose. Figured it would be dark soon and i'll go out with a flashlight and hope it's settled down enough for me to catch it. The stupid thing climbed up the ramp about 5 times and never went all the way. I'm going on a trip next Thursday, at the 2 week old mark, so they need to be ok with this by then. mY chicken sitter won't do this, I promise.

 

[trudyg]

Just came in from searching for the stupid chick. Couldn't find it and it's pouring down rain. There are good hiding places out there, but it's only a week old. No peeping, so maybe it went up the ramp and in the coop. Didn't lift Bertha to see. Guess I"ll find out in the morning.

 

[trudyg]

Oh, I did notice that one of them had more feathers than the other 2. Would that be male? Definite feathers on the wing ends while the other 2 are still mostly fluff.