First time letting her set...Need advice

Princess P

Hatching
9 Years
Jun 11, 2010
3
0
7
One of our girls (a Red) was getting pretty broody, and 15 days ago my hubby didn't have the heart to take the eggs away from her. She has been such a good dedicated mommy. None of the others are bothering her so we have let her stay with the others for company, I am a little worried about her not eating or drinking over the last 5 days. In the begining she would get off for a few minutes to get a drink and a bite to eat then went right back.

Any suggestions of things we should be setting up before they start to hatch? Do I need to put up some wire in the coop to segregate mama and her babies?
 
I would start by putting some food and water by the mama. Preferably biddy safe the closer you get to hatching. And yes, I would likely put a cage or wire around her to keep the biddies protected from the rest of the flock.

Good luck!
 
I've started a page on broody hens (it's a work in progress). It might help some of your questions. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7479-broody-hens

Chances
are she's getting off the nest when you're not looking. I have 2 broodies on nests right now and I've never seen them off the nest, but I'm not worried. Neither of them seem weak or like they're losing weight, so I think they're fine.

I prefer to move them to a safe area. If the other hens are being good to her, you may be able to leave her where she is because moving them can break their broodiness. Mark the eggs in her nest (I use a Sharpie) so you can remove any eggs the other hens may add to the nest, so she doesn't end up with a staggered hatch. I always move them once their eggs hatch, it's just so stressful for the mama hen to defend the babies from everyone and the babies are so vulnerable (and the other hens think chick food is the best treat they've ever tasted.)

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