Broody hen with her babies

[Stacylynnlac]

My broody hatched her eggs today and I was planning on relocating her from the other hens with her chicks in our basement. Some people have told me to leave her in the coop and they will figure it out. My coop is small (I have a small flock) with only a cupola for light. So the coop is pretty dark inside. If I choose to leave them in there, will they be able to find their food to eat/ drink? Or should I just move them tomorrow when the rest hatch? I have a much larger coop coming this month for all of them, I just don’t have it yet to move them in there.

 

[sourland]

You can try them in the coop, but if problems arise because of the small size have a plan B in mind. I like to raise chicks in the flock, but given the small size of your coop I would probably be tempted to move them. Good luck with them

 

[Stacylynnlac]

You can try them in the coop, but if problems arise because of the small size have a plan B in mind. I like to raise chicks in the flock, but given the small size of your coop I would probably be tempted to move them. Good luck with them

My new coop should be here in the next couple weeks, but I do have an area set up in the house for them

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How small? I generally just put a fence around the broody for a week or two before trying to release them into the flock. Chicks are fragile for that first week or two, so keeping them separately allows them time to gain strength.. Sometimes other birds may try to kill them. At the very least it will be difficult to keep feed available.

They don't necessarily need to be in your house. A secure area is fine. It's always best not to remove birds completely from the flock if possible. If you do, be sure to reintroduce them by separating by a fence for a week or two to integrate the broody back into the flock.

 

[Stacylynnlac]

How small? I generally just put a fence around the broody for a week or two before trying to release them into the flock. Chicks are fragile for that first week or two, so keeping them separately allows them time to gain strength.. Sometimes other birds may try to kill them. At the very least it will be difficult to keep feed available.

They don't necessarily need to be in your house. A secure area is fine. It's always best not to remove birds completely from the flock if possible. If you do, be sure to reintroduce them by separating by a fence for a week or two to integrate the broody back into the flock.

Much too small to separate them, she’s in a 3ft x1ft nest box right now with the babies, and that’s the only spot I could technically block off. So if I separate they would have to come inside. I was supposed to get my new large coop this week and they pushed off my delivery because of weather so now I’m stuck in this situation which wasn’t expected! Haha

 

[Stacylynnlac]

Much too small to separate them, she’s in a 3ft x1ft nest box right now with the babies, and that’s the only spot I could technically block off. So if I separate they would have to come inside. I was supposed to get my new large coop this week and they pushed off my delivery because of weather so now I’m stuck in this situation which wasn’t expected! Haha

The actual coop size is like 5x2 I think. And a foot off the ground

 

[Banditschickens]

If you have a Dog Kennel like wire one take
some biddy wire { Chicken wire } cover the
dog kennel in it makes a very good
biddy /hen home for a couple week's.
Put hay or straw in it for making nest.
Water and feeder for chick's.
You can put it along your chickens fence line.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Much too small to separate them, she’s in a 3ft x1ft nest box right now with the babies, and that’s the only spot I could technically block off. So if I separate they would have to come inside. I was supposed to get my new large coop this week and they pushed off my delivery because of weather so now I’m stuck in this situation which wasn’t expected! Haha

That may work for the first week. Oftentimes hens stay close to the nest initially. Always trust your gut on what to do as every situation is different and only you can see if things are working or not.