How to protect broody hen & babies from flock

[CedarRanch]

I have a first time broody hen, this is our first experience with allowing a hen to hatch eggs. Eggs are hatching and babies are here. Do I need to protect them at all from the flock? They’re up in the nesting box, other hens are still trying to lay in the nest that she’s been in. I’m guessing they know she’s broody and want a chance for their eggs to be hatched out too. I could section off her area. Is it necessary? If so, how long do you leave that area sectioned off? My nesting box is about 2.5-3 foot off of the ground, will they all just jump down when ready? I’m new to this whole process and I’d love to take a hands off approach if it’s safe to do so.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Mama should protect her chicks If she doesn't seem like she is doing a good job at protecting them from the other chickens, her chicks should be taken away to avoid them from getting hurt (chicks are so fragile that it only takes one peck for them to get hurt.) I guess you could section off an area for herThe hens that are in the nesting box with mama hen might injure the chicks....Although maybe they could be trying to co-parent? I would check on the chicks frequently to make sure they are ok.

 

[LRH97]

I find it's easiest to set up a space for a broody and her chicks. I use a dog crate set in the coop to ensure hen and chicks stay together and get to eat and drink. I do let mom and babies out when I'm around to go out and check on them, and then simply close them back up at feeding time. I would spend some time supervising at first if you choose to let them out. Make sure mom protects babies from any bullies, but keep in mind she's only one bird. If several birds are causing problems, you may choose against running the babies with the rest of the flock until they are a little older. I have no significant issues. A few pecks are normal here and there if a baby gets too close to a cranky older hen, but flock dynamics can differ quite a bit.

The problem with allowing her to stay in the elevated nest box will be the chick's inability to get back to mom. It's getting cooler in my part of the US and that brings the potential risk of the chicks chilling and dying.

 

[Debbie292d]

We recently had six hatched in a breeding pen with two roosters and seven hens. They all lived together like one big happy family. The roosters were picking up food for the hens and the babies would run over and get it.

Here's one of the little buggers.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I have brooders built under my poop boards and have also made make shift brooders out of dog crates and normally move my broodys to a secure area still within the coop.
My main reasons for doing this is especially for lower ranking hens that get constantly kicked off the nest when others want to lay. And this also helps ensure broody and her chicks are safe and she can focus on them.

My hatches are all specific so I mark all eggs by date and who's eggs I've set and also draw a circle all the way around each egg so I know at a glance if there's more eggs layed as any more eggs layed after a couple days after setting and I run the chance of a staggered hatch and potentially the chance she'll abandon them eggs anyways after a couple days to get her chicks off the nest.

I usually wait til roughly a week before hatch to ensure she's fully committed, and then pick a time when she comes off the nest to do her dailys and then quickly move her nest box to that secured area. I make sure there is no eggs in any other nest boxes for her to mistaken for hers and put her in the brooder and she finds the eggs herself and settled in. I've never had a issue doing it this way with 10 separate broodys this year.

Here's some of my brooders if you need ideas. I have plexiglass I put up to have 2 separate brooders under the poop boards or I can remove to make just one L shape area. In some of the pics note the nest boxes are close to the doors. This is just while she's sitting and hatching, I can maintain her nest if needed. When she comes off the nest to take them out I pull any left over eggs, refresh the nest and then push it back to give her the max space with the babies.

This is 6 littles I currently have I incubated so the other side was empty for a few days after moving them from the house but I've since removed the plexiglass to give them the whole space under both poop boards to run.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Here they are today using both sides as one.

 

[loulusea]

I have a first time broody hen, this is our first experience with allowing a hen to hatch eggs. Eggs are hatching and babies are here. Do I need to protect them at all from the flock? They’re up in the nesting box, other hens are still trying to lay in the nest that she’s been in. I’m guessing they know she’s broody and want a chance for their eggs to be hatched out too. I could section off her area. Is it necessary? If so, how long do you leave that area sectioned off? My nesting box is about 2.5-3 foot off of the ground, will they all just jump down when ready? I’m new to this whole process and I’d love to take a hands off approach if it’s safe to do so.

Oh my goodness I'm literally in the same situation! Thank you for posting our questions

 

[Kingston Acres]

I have brooders built under my poop boards and have also made make shift brooders out of dog crates and normally move my broodys to a secure area still within the coop.
My main reasons for doing this is especially for lower ranking hens that get constantly kicked off the nest when others want to lay. And this also helps ensure broody and her chicks are safe and she can focus on them.

My hatches are all specific so I mark all eggs by date and who's eggs I've set and also draw a circle all the way around each egg so I know at a glance if there's more eggs layed as any more eggs layed after a couple days after setting and I run the chance of a staggered hatch and potentially the chance she'll abandon them eggs anyways after a couple days to get her chicks off the nest.

I usually wait til roughly a week before hatch to ensure she's fully committed, and then pick a time when she comes off the nest to do her dailys and then quickly move her nest box to that secured area. I make sure there is no eggs in any other nest boxes for her to mistaken for hers and put her in the brooder and she finds the eggs herself and settled in. I've never had a issue doing it this way with 10 separate broodys this year.

Here's some of my brooders if you need ideas. I have plexiglass I put up to have 2 separate brooders under the poop boards or I can remove to make just one L shape area. In some of the pics note the nest boxes are close to the doors. This is just while she's sitting and hatching, I can maintain her nest if needed. When she comes off the nest to take them out I pull any left over eggs, refresh the nest and then push it back to give her the max space with the babies.View attachment 3980327View attachment 3980328View attachment 3980330View attachment 3980331View attachment 3980329

This is 6 littles I currently have I incubated so the other side was empty for a few days after moving them from the house but I've since removed the plexiglass to give them the whole space under both poop boards to run.View attachment 3980325View attachment 3980326

Thank you for the details and pictures. Very helpful to me as I'm fairly new to chickens (in my 2nd year) and have my first broody hen.

I'm excited to see how it turns out.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Thank you for the details and pictures. Very helpful to me as I'm fairly new to chickens (in my 2nd year) and have my first broody hen.

I'm excited to see how it turns out.

Hope you have a great hatch..