Broody ???????s...............PICS ADDED

[texaschickmama]

Well, I have 2 broody butt girls that have been sitting 10 days. I have tried to mark their eggs with a pencil "X" to make sure I know which eggs are theirs. My questions are: Do you think they will hatch and raise these chicks with the rest of the flock present in their coop? I do have a separate cage that I could put them in, but I don't want to chance moving them. When the chicks hatch, or if they do, should I let mama raise them, do they have to be in a separate pen from the rest of the flock? Will the rooster and other hens try to kill them? Thanks for any advice.

 

[texaschickmama]

I wanted to add some pics of the broodies on their nest......
This one is really grumpy, what cracks me up is when she does go get a drink of water she STAYS puffed up.

This one has flattened her big booty to cover all 12 eggs under her. It's amazing how they cover all those eggs and keep them toasty.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I don't think the others would kill them, but they might make them get stressed out. The bigger ones like to peck at them a lot. Since you do have another pen for them, you could wait till they hatch, then move mama and babies, so you don't have to worry about them leaving the nest.

 

[texaschickmama]

So I can put mama and chicks in cage with food/water and she will keep them warm enough? I really don't want to bring them in the house, I have heard of all the dust they create.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Oh no they'll be fine outside. Mama hens make really good baby blankets

I have 5 hens right now with chicks. The oldest are about 6 weeks, the youngest are still hatching! But they have been just fine so far. Last night it got down to 40 degrees, and everyone is still there! You could, if you want, put a heat light in there, but it is really not necessary. I would make sure she has some real warm bedding, like straw or something. One of my bantam hens has 18 chicks that are between 3&4 weeks old, and she does just fine keeping them warm.

 

[Ellie]

I have had success leaving broody mama in the regular coop sitting on the nest. Once the chicks hatch, I move the chicks and mama into a separate pen and they have done fine.

My chickens do free range, though, so they are not in the coop except to lay an egg and roost for the night so that may make a difference.

My Lacy is in there now.

Ellie

 

[Cason]

What do you do with all those banty chicks? Do you eat them?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I assume you were referring to me

Nothing right now, but I plan to take them to the auction and sell them, once the market goes back up for them. I am allergic to eggs, so I didn't have anything else to do with them, other than throw them away. I guess I could sell the eggs, if anyone wanted mediums (

), but they make pretty good bug catchers as well, and they don't eat as much as the big chickens do

plus they are so CUTE!!

 

[Cason]

Yes, I was! We don't have chicken auctions here.. so I was wondering.

 

[shelleyd2008]

We have an auction here that sells pretty much everything, but chickens are going for about $1 - $2 each, so it wouldn't do me much good right now!