Friday is Day 21 of Broody Bantam Hatch - didn't realize we'd be out of town on Day 22 -eek!

[CityChikn]

My broody bantam red Cochin is currently sitting on 9 Araucana eggs. I got the fertile eggs from a lady who said they were all laid by multiple fertile hens within 24 hrs of each other. So it is possible Thursday hatching could start, but most likely Friday will be the day. Hubby reminded me we are going out of town on Saturday, returning Sunday. Bad hatch timing. This is my and my Broody's first hatch, so I'm hoping all hatch before we leave noonish on Saturday. I'm probably overly nervous, but I feel bad leaving them and we cannot break the plans made. (college graduation). My concern is with leaving her and the chicks in the coop while we are gone. 1, there is another bantam Cochin hen and I don't know how they'll all interact, I don't want the non-broody to hurt the chicks. 2. if they all get along, is it ok to allow them all access to he chick starter for 24 hrs?

My thought is to separate them, preferably the non broody in a large dog kennel since she gets loud if I coop her up for too long and I'm thinking of my neighbors.

Or wondering if I should bring the hen and chicks inside in a large dog crate too. Or could I just block them inside a section of the coop to make sure the other hen doesn't bother them? I'm assuming the hen will keep the chicks warm.

So far we've been lucky and I keep the coop door open to the fenced run 24x7 ...our Mastiff likes the hens and chases off predators. But chicks are simply more vulnerable all around and I won't leave it open till the chicks get older.

(My parents had dozens of chickens when I was a kid and I don't think they (or I) ever worried about theirs like I do mine...so I've been around hatches before, but this is my first in about 30 yrs. So I just want it to go right.)

 

[Habibs Hens]

I would bring mamma and chicks indoors in a dog crate and give them enough food to last them and ask the neighbour to check in on them

 

[esther5]

my chicks run straight through the bars of the dog crate...i'd hate to think of an innocent chick on the wrong side and mum not being able to protect them. a few ins of card or some chicken wire round the outside might be needed depending on the width of the bars....just a thought.

 

[bobbi-j]

You could just block of part of the coop if you're not comfortable with them being with the other chickens. The hen will keep the babies warm enough.

 

[CityChikn]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I'm going to try to block her and the chicks in one section of the coop, since to momma hen that is home.

On another note, I just checked and two eggs have chips. I picked one up and it cheeped at me (from within the egg)! That is so cool!

Plus the other non broody won't leave the coop like she normally will. It's like she's wanting to keep mamma hen company. I've only got the two hens, and non broody has been lonely when she free ranges in the back yard, so I'm wondering if she knows what is going on and is as excited as we are? (Or I'm probably reading more into it than there is and have wishful thinking non broody wants to help.)

 

[CityChikn]

Ok, I figured out why non broody was watching mamma hen so intently. I just checked on them again...3eggs pipped and both hens sitting on the nest. I moved non broody into the next nest box and put the egg she had just laid near her...she scooted it under her. I put 3 fertile eggs by her and she scooted all 3 under her. Looks like I've got two broodys!

 

[CityChikn]

Well, low and behold, non-broody turned out to be not broody...good think I checked 30 minutes after my last post. But all went well. Out of an original 10 eggs, we have 7 happy healthy chicks!. (Mamma hen kicked one egg out of the nest, one egg didn't hatch and one poor chick #8 didn't make it through the night.) But I was aware that might happen.
Here are pics. They are all 7 days old today! (Hatched on 5/24/13.) Mamma hen is such a good first time mamma! These are supposed to be Araucanas. I saw the roos and hens the eggs came from and the eggs were more on the blue than blue green side...if that makes any difference. I'm not so worried if they're EEs or Ameracanas(sp?) or Araucanas...more interested in the size and egg color.

Now the big question - on day 4 some of them (the chipmunks I call them) started getting pin feathers on wings. The buff and blue ones (I guess you'd call them blue?) are just starting to develop those. Is that any kind of indication which might be roos or hens? I know the comb and waddle size is some indication, though not entirely accurate. And the true test is to wait for a crow or an egg. But I'm open to any ideas. (We're trying to not get attached since we can't keep the roos - unless they don't crow...I can dream!)