Broody Hen Thread!

[sdsmowen]

Newbie question....it might have already been asked but i didn't see it...How long to I keep momma and chicks seperated from the flock? they are in a pen inside the coop for now.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Newbie question....it might have already been asked but i didn't see it...How long to I keep momma and chicks seperated from the flock? they are in a pen inside the coop for now.

I would say it's all up to the individual. Things to consider:
-How high on the pecking order is she? (Will she be able to protect the chicks from the rest of the flock?)
-How many chicks will she have; just a few are easily protected; more than, say, 6-8? And she'll likely have them wandering off occasionally, resembling a tasty treat to another flock member.
-If you let them out do you have predators that can easily pick off chicks, even if they don't pick off your full grown birds?
-If you remove the separation, will momma hen still be able to roost with her chicks somewhere safe?

I just gave my momma hen 8 chicks and they range in age from 5 days old to 2.5 weeks, and I'll likely keep them completely separate until the youngest chick is 4 weeks. Then I'll start letting them outside, but still keep the partition in case mama hen feels threatened and needs to keep her babies safe.

I do know, however, that some people have successful public (meaning, in the coop) hatches where they're all together from day one.

 

[Arkansas81]

I seem to have a "community " nesting box. Almost everytime I go out there someone new is in it sitting on my eggs. So I'm a bit worried with who will want to be momma. I'm hoping once they hatch that everything will go smoothly. If it doesn't then I do have a back up plan.

Question : if I have to move them do I still need to keep a light on them all the time if a "momma " is with them? I'm still figuring out what will be the best brooding house for them.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Well my chicks kept stressing me out, living in a rabbit hutch with mama. They couldn't figure out how to leave or get back into the hutch (weren't yet following mama everywhere) so inevitably someone would be left in the hutch or in the run....peeping VERY loudly. Goobers. So I removed the hutch and ramp, threw a bin in there on its' side, and that's their new shelter.

 

[Summerlove]

Hi all!! I currently have my momma hen with her babies in a large rabbit cage in the coop. The cage is about 4ft x 2.5ft. I have the top on the cage so the babies wont be disturbed. My questions are. When should I take the top off the cage? How old do the chicks need to be to venture outside? My chickens are free range in my backyard as I am very urban. Also it has been quite cold out currently -3 last night was-10.

Proud silkie mamma and her 4 araucana chicks

 

[Summerlove]

Is it ok to keep mamma cooped up like that?

 

[Jharper]

It's hard to say with temperatures like that outside. Do you have a closable coop?

 

[Summerlove]

Yes I close up the chicken door at night. My coop is a converted garden shed. I have 9 other hens in the coop as well. Because of the temperature I was thinking of leaving the mamma in the cage for at least a few weeks. She still only poops once a day so I just keep checking and clean it out.

 

[Jharper]

If you have a heat lamp it maybe possible to close the coop and let them walk around for a little while, if you can seperate them from the other big hens.

 

[MorgansManor]

I am so glad to be joining this broody hen thread. One of my Buff Oprington sit on a nest of 4 eggs for 4 days and 3 nights before one of my other girls moved her from her nest. As luck would have it I had planned to move her that night to her own area. So last Thursday I started back at square one, but this time I moved her into a her own little broody pen ( will post pic). I am so excited she has been on that nest for a week. Yeah! She is sitting on 5 mix eggs. So glad this really cold weather has not changed her mind yet. Now I have two black australops that want to join the party but I think out of 22 hens I am only willing to let 2 sit full time. I got lots of reading to do to catch up on this thread.
Debbie