Day old chicks off the ground

[fourreds]

Hi, My hen just hatched 4 of 9 eggs last night and she has pushed the other 5 eggs to the side of the nesting box. Is she done setting? She must know the five aren't going to hatch. Or do you think they can still hatch without her sitting on them for a day?

Also, She is in a nesting box 2 feet off the ground. Should I go ahead and move her and the chicks to ground level in their private pen? Thanks in advance
Marty

 

[nchls school]

Hi, My hen just hatched 4 of 9 eggs last night and she has pushed the other 5 eggs to the side of the nesting box. Is she done setting? She must know the five aren't going to hatch. Or do you think they can still hatch without her sitting on them for a day?

Also, She is in a nesting box 2 feet off the ground. Should I go ahead and move her and the chicks to ground level in their private pen? Thanks in advance
Marty

I'd move the hen and chicks to ground level in their own pen; at least for a few days. The five eggs are beyond help if they were still viable when the hen pushed them aside. Good luck.

 

[Teila]

Howdy fourreds

I have never actually had a broody push the eggs away but I have removed eggs which have not hatched so that she can move on with raising the little ones. As nchls school has suggested, if she has stopped sitting on the eggs, even if they were viable, probably no hope for them now.

I have always let my broody’s raise their little ones in their own pen; basically because I did not want the little ones getting injured by the Aunties during squabbles for nest boxes etc.

Some people let the broody raise her bubs with the flock and others separate and reintegrate when the little ones are older and more able to handle some pushing, shoving, pecking order etc.

My broody pen has a raised nest box and a ramp down to the broody run. The bubs are great at following mum down the ramp at 2 days old but not so good on working out how to get back up at bed time

I positioned a 'platform' under the ramp about half way down so if they do fall, it is not so much of a drop.

For the first couple of weeks, when mumma hen goes into the nest box at bed time and starts calling to them, I just pick them up and pop them in with her; they work it out eventually.

However, I am able to do this because there are no other hens around that could pick on the bubs if mum is not there; I would not try this with other hens around.

 

[fourreds]

Thanks so much for the comments. I did as you suggested and have the chicks in their on run with the Broody.