Broody hen with eggs

[Rachel Bokish]

Okay so another question... to those who didn’t see my other post I have had our chickens for all of a week. I am unsure of their age because the previous owner didn’t know either. We have one who is broody who the previous owners gave a ceramic egg for her to lay on. We just realized last night she has two other eggs under her as well. We are unsure of how long she has been sitting on them (a week at most).
I am excited to let her hatch them but I have two concerns.
My first concern is That we have one hen who is very aggressive towards us. I havent seen her be aggressive to the other hens but am worried she might try to hurt the chicks?
second, our nesting boxes are elevated off the ground (they are screwed into the wall). I’m sure this wouldn’t be good for a chick but how would we rectify this? I’m worried if we move her she will abandon the eggs.
third I’m hoping to get the chicks used to us and able to be handled but am worried she will be protective and not let us (she is super sweet right now and let’s us pet her).
many advice is welcome! Thank you all!

 

[MGG]

Okay so another question... to those who didn’t see my other post I have had our chickens for all of a week. I am unsure of their age because the previous owner didn’t know either. We have one who is broody who the previous owners gave a ceramic egg for her to lay on. We just realized last night she has two other eggs under her as well. We are unsure of how long she has been sitting on them (a week at most).
I am excited to let her hatch them but I have two concerns.
My first concern is That we have one hen who is very aggressive towards us. I havent seen her be aggressive to the other hens but am worried she might try to hurt the chicks?
second, our nesting boxes are elevated off the ground (they are screwed into the wall). I’m sure this wouldn’t be good for a chick but how would we rectify this? I’m worried if we move her she will abandon the eggs.
third I’m hoping to get the chicks used to us and able to be handled but am worried she will be protective and not let us (she is super sweet right now and let’s us pet her).
many advice is welcome! Thank you all!

The hen and chicks should be blocked into either a separate coop, or put up a wire divider for the first week. When they're a week or two old you can take the divider down, mama should protect them. Monitor them for a while though just to be sure. A mean hen just cornered and attacked (and almost killed) one of my hen's chicks a week ago. Even after separating them for a week. So watch them close. Where is the broody hen usually at in the pecking order?
How high is the box she's in? Leave her there until they hatch, and then maybe move her and the chicks down.
It is amazing watching the hen raise her chicks naturally though. Don't worry too much. She knows what she's doing. Good luck!

 

[Rachel Bokish]

I’m not actually sure where she’s at in the order. I feel like we haven’t had them long enough to find out. Their boxes are almost 3ft off the ground.
thank you for the advice! I will makes sure I desperate them for a week and keep an eye on the other one.

 

[MGG]

I’m not actually sure where she’s at in the order. I feel like we haven’t had them long enough to find out. Their boxes are almost 3ft off the ground.
thank you for the advice! I will makes sure I desperate them for a week and keep an eye on the other one.

You'll learn where she is in time then.
3 feet isn't too bad. I think they'll be able to get out fine on their own. Just make sure the shavings are thick at the bottom. If you notice they don't want to jump out help them of course. But it shouldn't hurt them if they fall out. Sounds good!

 

[Weeg]

All of our broods hatched chicks off the ground, I cant remember how they got down, but I think we just kept her in the nesting box until ht chicks were ready to go out with momma, then we helped them all down and we had no issues! And make sure you separate her form the rest of the flock with some wire so no now can get in with her, and the chicks cant get out until you help them down from the box. good luck, cant wait!

 

[Chicalina]

First of all, congratulations on your new pets with benefits!

Secondly, are you sure you want to jump in this quickly to brooding and having chicks, because you've only been a chicken keeper for like 3 days. It may be too much too soon to venture into this, this early on in your chicken keeping career. Hope that doesn't sound too patronising.

The broody hen will go broody again without a doubt. It might be more sensible to wait until next year when you've got used to looking after them and know what you are doing. A sudden unplanned increase in numbers could mean major disruption in the flock (which you haven't got to know yet), and urgent need for new or improved coops or runs. You said the chickens didn't look too healthy, so you could be introducing chicks into a disease ridden flock. When were they last wormed, for example? Are you feeding them the right nutrition (regardless of what the previous owner did)?

Lots of knowledge and experience to gain before embarking on the 'chicken math' journey. That's when you get addicted to getting more chickens