Have to separate hen and new chicks??

[sandhillchick]

I have 2 hens sitting on clutches of eggs. They should be hatching very soon and I don't know what to do then. Can I just leave them in the very large coop with 2 other hens & 1 rooster? If I take the chicks out, can I only take 1 hen with them? My "holding pen" is pretty small. If I do that, when can I put them back with the others? I would love to do nothing and let nature take it course but don't want all the chicks attacked and I know they need starter food. I'm confused....

 

[stuckinthecity]

If there is only 3 other chickens in that pen, they should be fine with 2 mamas protecting them.
But if you wish, you can move one of the moms with the babies and put more eggs under the remaining one.

 

[stuckinthecity]

OHH, wait. The hens have seperate clutches?
I just caught that. If they are on the same nest then they should be fine, but 2 different moms always fight eachother pretty bad...

 

[sandhillchick]

Yes--there are two separate hens on two separate clutches! We are new to the hatching thing so I hope that is going to be ok. What about starter feed? Should I just feed it to all the chickens? I do supplement with household scraps. Thanks for all your help!

 

[cheeps4u]

I also have had a space problem and two hens in different nests. When they hatch out, i take them and put them in a box in the bathtub with a red warmer light.. The way my nesting boxes are, I stretch an ace bandage across the front so if chicks hatch over night, they don't fall out. I pull the chicks out until the hens get mobile then I give them back. Hens do fight each other for chicks so either give them all to one hen or separate them.

The chicks won't want to eat for a day or two...but do dip their beaks gently in a water source....starter is fine...do not use shavings....put them on newspaper or dirt.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Ooh.

Just seperate one of the hens+ her chicks, and the other should be fine where shes at.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Quote:
If you do choose to keep one of the hens with the rest, then yes, probably the rest will eat it too. But it cant really be stopped unless you put in a fenced area that the big chickens cant get in. I dont like this method though, cause mama hen needs to teach them how to eat...ect.
Good luck!

 

[sandhillchick]

Thanks for all the advice. We are all waiting patiently for the arrivals! We have only had peeps from the store so this is a big change/adventure.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Well good luck,

How long untill they hatch? I havent even gotten the eggs for my broody yet... Its going to be a miserable wait for me.

 

[sandhillchick]

I think the eggs have been under her for almost 3 weeks but we were at the beach so I can't be absolutely sure. I will send my daughter out there tomorrow and see if she can hear any sounds from the eggs. The hens let her do anything!