I wasn't sure which subforum to put this in... Sorry if this is the wrong one.
I had my first broody hen hatch on 4-13-11. Only one hatched out of 2 eggs. Mama had been on the nest up to yesterday, not leaving AT ALL. I'd say she'd been on there for about 5 days straight. She was pooping in the nest with the baby under her. Baby was ok. So yesterday, I needed to do my spring cleaning. I put her outside with baby. My first question, is it ok that I did that? While mama and baby were out scratching and bathing (right by the coop door) other hens and even the rooster came over to investigate. They mostly left the 2 alone. Occasionally a hen would come up to fight with mama while baby was trying to not get hurt. Then the rooster would come up and literally kept trying to peck and hurt baby after he got it away from mom's protection. My second question, is that normal and should I intervene? He was being very rough with baby. I ended up having to put her back near her nest yesterday afternoon because she started to nest outside.
Should I just leave well-enough alone? Will she eventually take baby out of the nest on her own? Will they get back in their nest on their own? The chicken door in the run is a very steep height (about 3.5 feet) and the haybale that their nest is on is about 1.5 feet up too.
Oh why do I worry??
And we have 2 more due to hatch this coming Wednesday with 2 other broody hens due 4-30 and 5-4.....
Help?
I had my first broody hen hatch on 4-13-11. Only one hatched out of 2 eggs. Mama had been on the nest up to yesterday, not leaving AT ALL. I'd say she'd been on there for about 5 days straight. She was pooping in the nest with the baby under her. Baby was ok. So yesterday, I needed to do my spring cleaning. I put her outside with baby. My first question, is it ok that I did that? While mama and baby were out scratching and bathing (right by the coop door) other hens and even the rooster came over to investigate. They mostly left the 2 alone. Occasionally a hen would come up to fight with mama while baby was trying to not get hurt. Then the rooster would come up and literally kept trying to peck and hurt baby after he got it away from mom's protection. My second question, is that normal and should I intervene? He was being very rough with baby. I ended up having to put her back near her nest yesterday afternoon because she started to nest outside.
Should I just leave well-enough alone? Will she eventually take baby out of the nest on her own? Will they get back in their nest on their own? The chicken door in the run is a very steep height (about 3.5 feet) and the haybale that their nest is on is about 1.5 feet up too.
Oh why do I worry??
And we have 2 more due to hatch this coming Wednesday with 2 other broody hens due 4-30 and 5-4.....
Help?
