First time hatching for hen

[kellimayle]

I have 17 hens and one rooster, one of my buff orpington is sitting on about 6 to 7 eggs. The coop is separate from the nesting box she is in (an old grow box). Somehow one of the other chickens/rooster got into the box and now one baby chick is gone. I found the egg and the dead chick in the grow box. Should I close off this grow box from the rest of the chickens? She hasn't gotten off the eggs at all today - she has food and water in the box.
Thanks for any advise

 

[Bunnylady]

First of all,

Glad you joined us!

Sadly, my luck with chicks and other chickens has been much like yours. If I have a hen setting on eggs, I move her and her eggs to a secure location where she can raise her family in peace. Too many times, the first clue I've gotten that the eggs were hatching has been a chick that got away from the nest and got pecked to death by the other chickens. Other people manage to have chicks in the main flock, but I haven't had good luck with it at all.

The dead chick and the fact that the hen hasn't moved tell me that the eggs are hatching/have hatched. When the hen does get up, she will take her family with her, and any other eggs left in the nest are out of luck (any that are left are probably not good anyway, unless they were added at a later date). Hoping for good luck with the rest of the hatch!

 

[kellimayle]

Thank you, I appreciate your reply.

Kelli

 

[Blaineiac]

I move my hens into a bucket once they want to set. Arter a couple days of the bucket, I move the whole nest, bucket and all, into a 4'x4'x4' dome pen covered with 2x4 wire. Once the hen comes off the nest, I toss the remaining eggs, and let the hen and chicks out together with the free rangers, while I observe. I keep her penned when I'm gone. The 2x4 wire lets the chicks come and go as they please, and the hen stays put. I'll let her out when I'm around, but mine seem to want to roost high and leave the chicks on the ground. Last week I had a hen somehow get seven 20 day old chicks 10' in a tree and they got down before I left for work. I make sure to feed her and put them up before I eat now.

Even though I lose a few chicks, it is way easier than brooding them myself. I raise Asils and they will protect a clutch. They don't lay a lot, but will set 12 eggs and raise 7-10, and do it 3 times a year. It takes a "real" rooster to breed them. You don't have to though. Just give take the eggs til they set. Flush her off the nest,and put a bucket where she was setting with a little straw and whatever eggs you want her to set. She'll go back to it within an hour if she's really broody. I know Asils aren't the easiest to find, but any broody should do the same thing. I like how protective the Asils are. Bring the chicks to eat from my hand, but there won't be another bird within 20'.

Good Luck. Blaine