Hi - just needed to share... I had a phoenix go broody on me about a month ago... she's been dutifully sitting on everyone else's eggs, even though I collect them every day. I've never tried to hatch eggs (and refuse to buy an incubator, as it will only accelerate the addiction!), so this is a first. She's the first one who's gone broody (and a phoenix of all birds...) so we'll see how she does. I traded some hens for some EE eggs from a fellow BYCer, and my little EE girlie laid 3 this week, so when I collected what Miss Phoenix was sitting on the other day, I slipped all these pretty blue eggs under her. And she's still sitting on them. I didn't know how many she could sit on, but she's puffed up on top of these 9, so we'll see. I guess they're due about Nov 11. No clue if she has any maternal instincts or not, but I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks... When (if) the chicks pip, do I leave them in the nest? Should I move the nest? (It's in a tub mounted on the wall) Just take babies out as they pip? Leave 'em there? Move them to the floor in a dog crate? Guess I have some time to figure this out, but it's exciting!
Quote:Definitely. Only take them out if the hen starts pecking them bloody. Move them to the floor in a dog crate? Might be good to do. I hope they will hatch!
If you want your hen to raise them, I would move them to ground level or a seperate broody area. Good luck on your hatch
Very cool. Broodies are awsome. Pheonix hens are very dedicated broodies. My pheonix went broody twice in one season because her first clutch did not hatch. She was an excellent mama. How high is the nest? You can connect a ramp for the chicks to come out on. If the nest if too high, you'll have too lower it. Its not necesarry to move her to another area unless she is being bothered by other hens. You can leave the chicks to mama after they hatch. If you need to move her, read this post. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1891655#p1891655
