Broody Mama Hatched Chicks Within Unfriendlies

[StoneyAcreFarm]

This is regarding bobwhites, but figured the concept is similar. I've got a pretty large covy (40ish birds). Recently I've had two females turn broody for the 1st time. They both have a fairly large clutch of eggs (16 and 28). We woke this morning to a newly hatched chick, barely alive, a good distance from either nest. We grabbed him and placed him in a brooder. This afternoon, we had a 2nd chick that was still close to the mother. My kids snatched it and put it with the other chick. I would love to keep the chicks with the mom, but is there anyway to move the eggs and mom and not disrupt her from doing her job? Would there be much of a success rate in moving the two broody hens, the two nests and the two chicks to a separate area away from the other adult birds who are not keen on the new chicks?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I've never worked with Bobwhites, so I can't say what they would do. With chickens, which I have worked with broody hens for the last 10 years, it would really depend on the hen. Typically you want to move the hen way before hatching starts to avoid disrupting air cells in the eggs or malpositioning a chick.

However, I do agree it doesn't sound like a good set up. I have successfully open coop hatched with broodies (one year I had 3 co-brood successfully). And then there were years it was an utter disaster with chicks being kicked out of the nest by other birds or stepped on and crushed. The solution has always been having the broody in an isolated coop. Some can co-brood with another in that coop. Others have to be alone or there is trouble.

If the eggs weren't set at the same time, you are also struggling with a staggered hatch which means chicks hatching over a number of days. This can cause issues as many moms stay with the unhatched eggs and don't tend to the new babes. The solution to this is always set eggs at the same time so that the babes are hatching over a 24 hour period (in chickens).

Depending on the desperation of the situation, you might want to try to move the hens and clutches. However, in chickens, it totally depends on the hen whether she WILL move. Some become very upset and abandon the eggs as they are attached to the original nest location. Again, I would, with chickens, be very hesitant to move hatching eggs. You don't need a hen upset and unsettled during this delicate phase.

But....if this indeed is times of desperation and you sense a disaster about to happen, you can definitely try moving the mommas to a quiet, dark, isolation nest crossing your fingers you don't disturb chicks in the eggs, cause a shrink wrap from a cracked egg (losing humidity with move), or creating an upset hen who won't settle.

Hopefully others who have direct experience with Bobwhites will reply.

LofMc

 

[StoneyAcreFarm]

I've never worked with Bobwhites, so I can't say what they would do. With chickens, which I have worked with broody hens for the last 10 years, it would really depend on the hen. Typically you want to move the hen way before hatching starts to avoid disrupting air cells in the eggs or malpositioning a chick.

However, I do agree it doesn't sound like a good set up. I have successfully open coop hatched with broodies (one year I had 3 co-brood successfully). And then there were years it was an utter disaster with chicks being kicked out of the nest by other birds or stepped on and crushed. The solution has always been having the broody in an isolated coop. Some can co-brood with another in that coop. Others have to be alone or there is trouble.

If the eggs weren't set at the same time, you are also struggling with a staggered hatch which means chicks hatching over a number of days. This can cause issues as many moms stay with the unhatched eggs and don't tend to the new babes. The solution to this is always set eggs at the same time so that the babes are hatching over a 24 hour period (in chickens).

Depending on the desperation of the situation, you might want to try to move the hens and clutches. However, in chickens, it totally depends on the hen whether she WILL move. Some become very upset and abandon the eggs as they are attached to the original nest location. Again, I would, with chickens, be very hesitant to move hatching eggs. You don't need a hen upset and unsettled during this delicate phase.

But....if this indeed is times of desperation and you sense a disaster about to happen, you can definitely try moving the mommas to a quiet, dark, isolation nest crossing your fingers you don't disturb chicks in the eggs, cause a shrink wrap from a cracked egg (losing humidity with move), or creating an upset hen who won't settle.

Hopefully others who have direct experience with Bobwhites will reply.

LofMc

Thank you! I'm assuming that these hens will stay with the eggs and abandon the babies. At this point, I guess we will just stay vigilant and snag the chicks as they hatch.