First hatch with a broody, RESOLVED THANKS

[igorsMistress]

Hi everyone

I'm picking up half a dozen hatching eggs tomorrow to put under a very insistent RIR. She's currently in one of the nest boxes in the coop, about 12 to 15 inches from the floor. Right now the floor is bare dirt and I hope to keep it that way for a while longer if possible.

I have a wire dog crate I can put a towel over and fill with hay, then leave in the corner below where she is now, or I can let her brood in the box which is her preference. The box she's in would have to come out too but that takes a few seconds. When should I move her? Closer to hatch day, or right away?
She's changed boxes only when I took her cache and other girls layed in other boxes, otherwise she stays put.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If you move her, move her before you commit the fertile eggs.

Many hens attach to the nest spot. Some move easier. She may be okay with moving....or not. If she is persistent to the spot, then you know with the dummy eggs not the fertile ones.

Move in dark of night. Replace her with the fake/dud eggs she is on. If you can move the box too, that usually is ideal. That way she has the same smell and feel.

Let her settle for a day, best two. I usually box them in and let them settle. THEN place the fertile eggs under her.

Dirt floor 12 to 15 inches is fine, although you will have to have a little ramp for the babes if you want them to go back up to the nest at night. Otherwise, momma will easily resettle with hatched babes to wherever you want after day 2.

It is essential the babes have no other hens tromping through the nest day 18 to 2 days after hatch to avoid crushed chicks.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

LofMc

 

[rita2paul]

hi this is my first broody hatch also. my hen would not move from her next box, i tried a few times but she kept going back. so i have left her there. they are due to hatch Sunday i have a brooder ready for her in the shed with all the other girls, but they will not be able to get near her or the babies. i am going to move her as soon as the eggs start to hatch, my nest box in 2 feet off the ground so i am worried that the babies might fall out.

 

[igorsMistress]

If you move her, move her before you commit the fertile eggs.

Many hens attach to the nest spot. Some move easier. She may be okay with moving....or not. If she is persistent to the spot, then you know with the dummy eggs not the fertile ones.

Move in dark of night. Replace her with the fake/dud eggs she is on. If you can move the box too, that usually is ideal. That way she has the same smell and feel.

Let her settle for a day, best two. I usually box them in and let them settle. THEN place the fertile eggs under her.

Dirt floor 12 to 15 inches is fine, although you will have to have a little ramp for the babes if you want them to go back up to the nest at night. Otherwise, momma will easily resettle with hatched babes to wherever you want after day 2.

It is essential the babes have no other hens tromping through the nest day 18 to 2 days after hatch to avoid crushed chicks.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

LofMc

Very helpful, thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

hi this is my first broody hatch also. my hen would not move from her next box, i tried a few times but she kept going back. so i have left her there. they are due to hatch Sunday i have a brooder ready for her in the shed with all the other girls, but they will not be able to get near her or the babies. i am going to move her as soon as the eggs start to hatch, my nest box in 2 feet off the ground so i am worried that the babies might fall out.

Don't move during hatch, if that is what you meant. Disturbing during the hatching process can cause major problems from hen rejection to shrink wrapped babes if you disturb a pipped egg allowing humidity to change.

Babes will sleep and dry out under the hen. She squats on her haunches and has amazing amount of room underneath her.

If it is a high nest that is cramped to where bump out could be possible, you can place some bird netting across as a bumper until all babes are hatched which may take up to 2 days even with eggs set at the same time.

Just check in on mom to make sure she is still in set mode. By day 2 after hatch most hens abandon the hatching nest and take the babes to a new, cleaner area. The netting will need to come down then so she can move.

Babes can follow her or you can set them down. As long as they are with mom they are fine. Stranded chicks are a risk with hen movement if you have a higher nest, so watch that all make it down. Chicks can and do jump down from some pretty amazing heights and are fine. It is when the hen goes back up a high ramp that problems can happen. Not all chicks navigate back with her and many new hens become distressed and may stay with those that follow stranding those that don't. BTW 2 feet is not high especially if you build a little wire ramp so chicks can follow mom back.

 

[kwhites634]

Hi everyone

I'm picking up half a dozen hatching eggs tomorrow to put under a very insistent RIR. She's currently in one of the nest boxes in the coop, about 12 to 15 inches from the floor. Right now the floor is bare dirt and I hope to keep it that way for a while longer if possible.

I have a wire dog crate I can put a towel over and fill with hay, then leave in the corner below where she is now, or I can let her brood in the box which is her preference. The box she's in would have to come out too but that takes a few seconds. When should I move her? Closer to hatch day, or right away?
She's changed boxes only when I took her cache and other girls layed in other boxes, otherwise she stays put.

Chances are, you won't have to move her at all. My coop is 3' off the ground, open to the entire flock of (at that time) a rooster & 4 hens, counting the broody. She hatched 2 chicks in the coop and they were on the floor of the run the following day. I never saw her taking them in or out for several days; don't know if she carried them or taught them to use the ramp right away. Point is, she can do just fine on her own if the rest of the flock accepts them, which they normally do when chicks are born into the flock.

 

[igorsMistress]

@kwhites634 Thank you! Very helpful info. We intended to maintain that area as a nesting spot anyway, the girls like it under there. I'm not so concerned about littles coming out of the nest box now though.