Broody's babies hatched! What do I do now?

[happymorrows]

I have two peeps under my broody! My first peeps from my first flock! But now what do I do?? They are in a nest box off the ground. When should I move them to the small dog crate I was planning on moving them to in the coop? Will the mama protect them from the other chickens? Do I need to get some starter/grower for them? Any and all advice would be helpful.

 

[BeccaB00]

Get starter for them, and seperate them from the others right away.

Once I didn't seperate 3 chicks and the mom, and the others killed 2 of the chicks,

and the other one came real close to dying.

 

[vtgirls]

I have a 1st time broody mama due New Years Day! I plan to move her and her babies (if they hatch - its been very cold in vt) to a huge plastic tub with a heating lamp at the opposite end from a milk crate nest box. I am hoping that if the chicks wander they will be near the lamp and if not, then they can stay under mama. They will be in an unheated garage but I think it will be better than out in the run (our coop is just 4x4 so too tiny to start them out in there....) Mama is a banty so we will provide organic chick starter mash and water for both her and the babies. Planning to move them back in with the gang once the babies feather out a bunch - here the coldest days are still coming - February is usually frozen solid ..
Mama should protect them - I'm told hens are smart enough to never mess with a new Mama.

Congratulations!

 

[tallyho]

I moved mine, very soon after they hatched, to a dog box and they had no problems immediately acclimating to the new accomodations. Mine were also in an elevated nest box and it worried me they might fall out and have no way of getting back in. Give them starter and water in appropriate dispensers. You probably wont's see any babies for a while, maybe just a multi-legged hen. Babies do a good job hiding in mom's fluff.

My broody was high in the ranks and no one bothered her or her babies. I'm pretty sure all mommas will be fierce protectors. Or, at least, they should. Just think how mean she was sitting on those eggs!

Congrats! The cutest part is when the babies peek out of mom's fluff!

 

[happymorrows]

Oh, and there is still one egg under her that could hatch. Do I give them a day before I move them? If I move them do I move the unhatched egg too or give up on it. Will she continue to set on the unhatched one? Thanks!

 

[happymorrows]

I waited till dark and made the move smoothly. And, SURPRISE!, the third egg had hatched. That was a blue egg so I am really excited and hope it is a pullet.

 

[coltssuperbowl83]

Congrats!!

 

[tallyho]

Yaaaay!!!

I had a couple of blue ones under my broody in October but they didn't develop. What else did you hatch?! And of course you must post pics once the babies start to venture out.

 

[justtoni44]

There is nothing sweeter than watching a mama hen with her chicks.
When our cuckoo had her clutch, she insisted on nesting on a bench in the barn.
She would tuck the chick, one at a time,under her wing and fly to the bench.Then return for another one.
Thank goodness she only had three.
I did not trust the other chickens to be around the chicks, but did trust the hens instincts.
She did great and kept the chicks kind of off by them selves for a period of time.
Keeping them seperate mostly for me was the feeding.......both mom and the chicks can have starter but I did not want to feed it to every one.
Congratulations and good luck.

 

[clairabean]

How exciting!

And great advice!