Hen wants to be a mom, how should we prepare?

[Phantom_k9]

Hello!
During the winter freeze, one of our hens thought that it would be ideal to try and hatch some eggs. She is about 5 days in, and sitting on 4 eggs. No idea if any of them will make it, but I am hopeful!
We want to let her try and hatch these eggs (and let her raise any hatchlings) rather than stop her, but we really have no idea what we need to do to prepare. We have raised chicks before, but we have never let a hen try to raise some!
When it comes to housing, would it be best to move her and her chicks to a place away from the rest of the flock? Knowing how mean the other hens / roo can be, I'm worried it may be too rough for the little guys. Also, the nest box she is currently in is a fair bit off the ground, could this be problematic when the chicks start to wander?
With food, we are giving the whole flock regular all flock feed, and giving our hens either layer feed or egg shells on the side. With new chicks, do we need to switch out their available food with starter?
Thanks in advance for any tips! Here's hoping all the eggs hatch and grow up into pretty and efficient layers!

 

[Willow2253]

First, mark the eggs you’re letting her sit on and check under her every few days to take any eggs other hens could be laying in her nest. I like to have a separate area ready where the hen and chicks can be closed off from the rest of the flock, but I don’t move my hens in there until just a few days before hatch because I can pick up and move the whole nest box. I have a pen inside the coop so everyone can still see each other but nobody can pick on each other. You can completely separate them into different housing too, but I find integration is a lot easier when the rest of the flock can see and hear mom and chicks. Once the chicks are a week or so old I start letting them out for a few hours at a time to mingle and get some exercise. If your hen is a good mom she’ll protect the chicks from the others. You’ll want to get chick starter, when they’re separated it’s easy to make sure that’s all they’re eating. Until the chicks are close to laying age I would hold off on putting out layer feed. Offering your laying hens eggshell and oyster shell will provide sufficient calcium. Some people advise switching the whole flock to chick feed when you have chicks, I put out both chick feed and all flock in common areas with the all flock in a feeder that’s more difficult to access by small chicks, and only chick feed in the pen that I lock up the broody in. All flock is nutritionally pretty similar to chick starter, so it’s better if they’re eating that then layer.
Good luck on your hatch!

 

[Phantom_k9]

First, mark the eggs you’re letting her sit on and check under her every few days to take any eggs other hens could be laying in her nest. I like to have a separate area ready where the hen and chicks can be closed off from the rest of the flock, but I don’t move my hens in there until just a few days before hatch because I can pick up and move the whole nest box. I have a pen inside the coop so everyone can still see each other but nobody can pick on each other. You can completely separate them into different housing too, but I find integration is a lot easier when the rest of the flock can see and hear mom and chicks. Once the chicks are a week or so old I start letting them out for a few hours at a time to mingle and get some exercise. If your hen is a good mom she’ll protect the chicks from the others. You’ll want to get chick starter, when they’re separated it’s easy to make sure that’s all they’re eating. Until the chicks are close to laying age I would hold off on putting out layer feed. Offering your laying hens eggshell and oyster shell will provide sufficient calcium. Some people advise switching the whole flock to chick feed when you have chicks, I put out both chick feed and all flock in common areas with the all flock in a feeder that’s more difficult to access by small chicks, and only chick feed in the pen that I lock up the broody in. All flock is nutritionally pretty similar to chick starter, so it’s better if they’re eating that then layer.
Good luck on your hatch!

Having the mom and chicks separated will sort out the feed problem, I just give her and her chicks starter and egg shells on the side. With the nest she is in now, I don't think it was made with the intent of a hen trying to hatch, rather simply for egg production. I can set up a large pet cage inside the coop on the ground, and make a makeshift nest for her to sit in.
But how do I move her? Do we wait for her to jump down to get food and water and snatch her eggs? If we move the eggs, will she move as well or will she try to go back to the original nest?

 

[NatJ]

But how do I move her? Do we wait for her to jump down to get food and water and snatch her eggs? If we move the eggs, will she move as well or will she try to go back to the original nest?

She will probably try to go back to the original nest, even if it doesn't have the eggs in it.

For this time, I suggest moving her and the eggs at night (after dark), shut her in the pen with the new nest, and check several times the next morning. If she's willing to keep setting in the new place, you're all set. But if she's determined to go back to the old nest, you may need to just let her set in the old nest until the chicks hatch, and then move her & chicks. A broody hen wants to stay with the same nest, while a hen with chicks wants to stay with the chicks. Some hens are more picky than others about which nest they are in.

If you have a broody hen in future, it's easier to move the hen before you give her the eggs to hatch. Just put her in the new place, give her a few fake eggs to sit on, and wait a few days. Some hens will settle down where you want them and then you can give the real eggs to hatch, while others will pace back and forth and quit being broody (but at least you learn that before you try giving her any eggs.)

 

[Willow2253]

Having the mom and chicks separated will sort out the feed problem, I just give her and her chicks starter and egg shells on the side. With the nest she is in now, I don't think it was made with the intent of a hen trying to hatch, rather simply for egg production. I can set up a large pet cage inside the coop on the ground, and make a makeshift nest for her to sit in.
But how do I move her? Do we wait for her to jump down to get food and water and snatch her eggs? If we move the eggs, will she move as well or will she try to go back to the original nest?

If you move her you’ll want to make sure she can’t access any other nests, or watch her when she gets up to make sure she goes back to the right nest. I would just pick her up from her current nest and move her and the eggs to the new one. It may help to do so at night. If you put her in a cage you can just close her in there with food and water, and let her out once in a while for some exercise.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It sounds like you have decided to move her. I'll go over some other stuff anyway in case you have problems with that move.

I've seen a broody hen get her chicks out of a ten feet high hay loft. She flew to the ground and told them to jump. They did, bounced up, and ran to her. I've had a broody hen hatch in a nest four feet off the coop floor. The height doesn't bother me and has never bothered my broody hens or chicks.

But what does your nest look like? That can be important. One time a hen hatched in a cat litter bucket set on a 45 degree angle. The top of that bucket was 7-1/2" x 11-1/2", too narrow. When a chick that hatched early climbed up on Mama's back, it missed the nest when it slid off and fell to the coop floor, about 4 feet. It was not hurt, I tossed it back into the nest with Mama. That happened 4 times. If that nest had been bigger so it fell into the nest it would not have been a big deal. I retired that nest after that hatch. So prepare for major cuteness, like a baby chick sitting on it's Mama's back as she incubates the rest of the eggs.

I agree, if she is incubating anywhere another hen can get to the nest, mark the eggs you want her to hatch and regularly check under her to remove any that don't belong. That makes life easier. When the hen brings the chicks off my nests that are up higher she never takes them back there. She takes care of them at night on the coop floor.

If I were moving her I'd prepare a cage or shelter, either predator-proof or somewhere that is predator-proof, with a nest, food, water, and maybe just a little more room. Fix it so you can lock her in there until after the hatch. She should not go back to her old nest and you don't want other hens to be able to get to her nest. A broody hen knows to not poop in her nest and ruin the eggs but she doesn't know to not foul her food or water so be prepared to do some cleaning.

Build that shelter or cage so a baby chick cannot get out after it hatches. My broody hens raise their chicks with the flock and have always protected them from the other hens when necessary. The dominant rooster has never been a threat, occasionally one might help Mama take care of her chicks. If a chick can get somewhere Mama cannot protect it, that chick could be in serious danger. To me that is one of the risks in trying to isolate them from the flock, either during hatch or later.

I'd move her and the eggs at night after it is really dark, using as little light and commotion as you can. Put her eggs in the nest and set her on top of them. She should be OK for the night as long as it is really dark. Then be down there first thing the next morning to see how it is going. Often that works but you might get one that just will not accept the move. In that case you might need to let her try to hatch with the flock.

Good luck.

 

[Phantom_k9]

It sounds like you have decided to move her. I'll go over some other stuff anyway in case you have problems with that move.

I've seen a broody hen get her chicks out of a ten feet high hay loft. She flew to the ground and told them to jump. They did, bounced up, and ran to her. I've had a broody hen hatch in a nest four feet off the coop floor. The height doesn't bother me and has never bothered my broody hens or chicks.

But what does your nest look like? That can be important. One time a hen hatched in a cat litter bucket set on a 45 degree angle. The top of that bucket was 7-1/2" x 11-1/2", too narrow. When a chick that hatched early climbed up on Mama's back, it missed the nest when it slid off and fell to the coop floor, about 4 feet. It was not hurt, I tossed it back into the nest with Mama. That happened 4 times. If that nest had been bigger so it fell into the nest it would not have been a big deal. I retired that nest after that hatch. So prepare for major cuteness, like a baby chick sitting on it's Mama's back as she incubates the rest of the eggs.

I agree, if she is incubating anywhere another hen can get to the nest, mark the eggs you want her to hatch and regularly check under her to remove any that don't belong. That makes life easier. When the hen brings the chicks off my nests that are up higher she never takes them back there. She takes care of them at night on the coop floor.

If I were moving her I'd prepare a cage or shelter, either predator-proof or somewhere that is predator-proof, with a nest, food, water, and maybe just a little more room. Fix it so you can lock her in there until after the hatch. She should not go back to her old nest and you don't want other hens to be able to get to her nest. A broody hen knows to not poop in her nest and ruin the eggs but she doesn't know to not foul her food or water so be prepared to do some cleaning.

Build that shelter or cage so a baby chick cannot get out after it hatches. My broody hens raise their chicks with the flock and have always protected them from the other hens when necessary. The dominant rooster has never been a threat, occasionally one might help Mama take care of her chicks. If a chick can get somewhere Mama cannot protect it, that chick could be in serious danger. To me that is one of the risks in trying to isolate them from the flock, either during hatch or later.

I'd move her and the eggs at night after it is really dark, using as little light and commotion as you can. Put her eggs in the nest and set her on top of them. She should be OK for the night as long as it is really dark. Then be down there first thing the next morning to see how it is going. Often that works but you might get one that just will not accept the move. In that case you might need to let her try to hatch with the flock.

Good luck.

I think I will just let her hatch in her current nest for now, and when they hatch I'll move them into the crate. I will need to go get some hardware cloth to cover the crate just because the holes are more than big enough for a chick to get through, and separating will make things a lot easier. It has been awhile since we have seen how many eggs she is sitting on, and she is positioned in a way that makes it hard to feel under her. Here's hoping we get some sweet baby chicks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you are not willing to mark the eggs and look under her every day after the others have laid to remove any new eggs I'd suggest isolating her for the rest of the incubation. It's not a case of feeling under her, you need to look at the eggs and remove any that are not marked. With my nests I might raise her up so I can look but often I set the broody on the coop floor. If she is truly broody she will go back to the nest either directly or after she eats, drinks, and maybe poops.

Bad things can happen if you don't remove extra eggs. They may build up to a point that she can't cover then all or you may wind up with a staggered hatch.

 

[Phantom_k9]

If you are not willing to mark the eggs and look under her every day after the others have laid to remove any new eggs I'd suggest isolating her for the rest of the incubation. It's not a case of feeling under her, you need to look at the eggs and remove any that are not marked. With my nests I might raise her up so I can look but often I set the broody on the coop floor. If she is truly broody she will go back to the nest either directly or after she eats, drinks, and maybe poops.

Bad things can happen if you don't remove extra eggs. They may build up to a point that she can't cover then all or you may wind up with a staggered hatch.

If I can catch her while she is down, I'll number the eggs. I'll also try to attach a picture here of where she is sitting.

 

[NatJ]

If I can catch her while she is down, I'll number the eggs.

Or you can take her off the nest.
If she pecks you, try wearing gloves and a long-sleeved jacket.
Just reach your hands gently under her, lift her up, and sit her down on the floor.