How to Set Up Momma Hen and Chick for Success - Need a Plan!

[mrsmistoffelees02]

Hi everyone,

I’m posting because I’m wondering how I can best set up my coop and run to accommodate a broody mom who’s about to hatch her first baby. I don’t have any experience with mother hens, so this will be a first for me and I want to know what I can do to set up her and the baby for success. Please excuse the Christmas sign and junk in the yard.

The run on the left side of the coop isn’t attached yet, we’ll be adding that this weekend.

My concerns/additional info:

1) I let my silkie hen set for a week on 5 eggs and only one is showing any development (observed through candling). I removed the others and want to let her keep this one.

2) The mom to be is not at the top of the pecking order, (and she’s a very small silkie), so I’m worried the others could pick on her baby - but I don’t want to completely separate them from the flock because I don’t want to go through the re-integration process.

3) I don’t think a chick could go up and down the ramp underneath the coop. Is it fine to confine mom and baby in the coop? I could block off the area under the nesting boxes (it’s about 2x4’ of space, the boxes are about 16” off the ground) but then she wouldn’t be able to access the run. I know I’ll have to move her nest to the ground when the hatch date is close so the baby doesn’t fall out, but I’m sure she’ll still be broody.

Should I designate one of the runs to her and the baby and try to make a little temporary coop for her and keep them separate altogether? Or should I use a dog crate in the coop? Very overwhelmed, but I feel like I’m in too deep already to give up because the egg is about 9 days in. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[azygous]

You have twelve more days until hatch if your count is accurate. That's plenty of time to think this through. Knowing what a broody's requirements are will help you come up with a plan. You're off to a very good start.

She needs access to food and water and a dirt bath during this incubation period. You are very wise to realize she needs to be partitioned to keep her egg safe from breakage should other hens try to lay in her broody nest.

After the chick hatches, both hen and chick need chick starter and water easily reached on the floor, and the hen still needs a dirt bath. The 2' x 4' space will be adequate for the two for the first week most likely. After that, the hen may get anxious to mingle with her flock.

This is a touchy time because she might not be strong enough to protect her chick. You'll have to keep an eye on her. Usually, a chick will be under the broody's protection until around age four to six weeks, and after that, the chick may be on its own. It may need a little assistance from you at that point. You'll have to be ready to help it roost safely if the broody doesn't permit the chick to continue to associate with her.

By all means keep the two within proximity to the flock. Any plan you come up with should include this for the precise reasons you already are aware of.

 

[mrsmistoffelees02]

You have twelve more days until hatch if your count is accurate. That's plenty of time to think this through. Knowing what a broody's requirements are will help you come up with a plan. You're off to a very good start.

She needs access to food and water and a dirt bath during this incubation period. You are very wise to realize she needs to be partitioned to keep her egg safe from breakage should other hens try to lay in her broody nest.

After the chick hatches, both hen and chick need chick starter and water easily reached on the floor, and the hen still needs a dirt bath. The 2' x 4' space will be adequate for the two for the first week most likely. After that, the hen may get anxious to mingle with her flock.

This is a touchy time because she might not be strong enough to protect her chick. You'll have to keep an eye on her. Usually, a chick will be under the broody's protection until around age four to six weeks, and after that, the chick may be on its own. It may need a little assistance from you at that point. You'll have to be ready to help it roost safely if the broody doesn't permit the chick to continue to associate with her.

By all means keep the two within proximity to the flock. Any plan you come up with should include this for the precise reasons you already are aware of.

Thank you for the advice and encouragement! I figured my options were to take away the egg and have no chick, or do what I could to help get it off to a good start and hope for the best.

I know it will be any day now. I’m nervous and excited. If she seems anxious to get back with the flock, should I keep her in the coop with the baby anyway? About how long should they have their own area before they can test the water with the rest of the flock? I hate that she won’t be able to scratch around, but I guess she’ll need to care for the chick.

Also, do you think it would be alright to add more babies a few of days after this one hatches? I could give her some fake eggs to sit on now so when I put chicks under her she thinks they’re hers. A friend of mine is hatching some breeds I really want in about 2 weeks, so there would be an age gap. I guess worst case scenario, if I still want more, I could get some babies from Tractor Supply the day this one hatches. I just think I may as well add a few more so the chick has some friends its age. I know my silkie will be a very sweet momma.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Congrats on your broody hen! Broody hen season has always been my favorite.

I have added store chicks to a just-hatched brood but only on the day of hatch. The store bought chicks need to be as young as possible so they learn to associate the hen with food and warmth. If they are older, they are too independent and won’t look to her for those things. Also a hen might notice that some chicks are too old and don’t listen to her, so she won’t bother trying to mother them.

As to adding chicks at a later date, that depends a lot on the hen. None of mine ever took to much younger hatchlings, but I’ve heard that some silkies will. I wouldn’t try it if it’s her first brood. She will probably go broody MANY more times so you’ll have lots of opportunity in the future.

As to separating, I’d keep her and the chicks separate for only a few days and then try to reintegrate them. She will probably keep her brood off on their own mostly and the rest of the flock shouldn’t bother them. Make sure to keep watch at first to make sure everything goes to plan though.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[azygous]

It's been my experience that adding chicks to a single hatch rarely works out. When I tried to give a broody some store bought chicks when she hatched a single chick, she went into a violet frenzy and attacked the new chicks. I ended up taking her chick away and brooding all of them myself.

Another time a broody hatched a single chick, I let her raise it, and I brooded store bought chicks, and later they all adjusted to include the single chick after it was weaned.

Every case is different. Go ahead and experiment. But keep a very close eye on the broody as she can be unpredictable.

 

[mrsmistoffelees02]

It's been my experience that adding chicks to a single hatch rarely works out. When I tried to give a broody some store bought chicks when she hatched a single chick, she went into a violet frenzy and attacked the new chicks. I ended up taking her chick away and brooding all of them myself.

Another time a broody hatched a single chick, I let her raise it, and I brooded store bought chicks, and later they all adjusted to include the single chick after it was weaned.

Every case is different. Go ahead and experiment. But keep a very close eye on the broody as she can be unpredictable.

Congrats on your broody hen! Broody hen season has always been my favorite.

I have added store chicks to a just-hatched brood but only on the day of hatch. The store bought chicks need to be as young as possible so they learn to associate the hen with food and warmth. If they are older, they are too independent and won’t look to her for those things. Also a hen might notice that some chicks are too old and don’t listen to her, so she won’t bother trying to mother them.

As to adding chicks at a later date, that depends a lot on the hen. None of mine ever took to much younger hatchlings, but I’ve heard that some silkies will. I wouldn’t try it if it’s her first brood. She will probably go broody MANY more times so you’ll have lots of opportunity in the future.

As to separating, I’d keep her and the chicks separate for only a few days and then try to reintegrate them. She will probably keep her brood off on their own mostly and the rest of the flock shouldn’t bother them. Make sure to keep watch at first to make sure everything goes to plan though.

Good luck with your hatch!

Thank you for the insight. I haven’t decided what I’ll do yet as far as adding chicks… I might try, or if this works out with the one chick, I’m sure I’ll have more hens go broody in the future and I’ll be more confident when it comes to letting them hatch. Although, a friend has Ayam Cemani hatching soon and I’m very tempted to grab a few as that’s my most coveted breed!

Today I am off of work so I was going to set up the area for the mom and chick (I should have done this sooner, but my husband just had surgery and I’ve had more pressing tasks at hand) and to my surprise the silkie was off the nest for the first time in weeks scratching around but now my head hen is sitting on the egg. I wonder if I should just let her hatch the egg, especially if the silkie is over it. Silkie is probably tired of sitting as she was broody for 2 weeks before I gave in and let her incubate it…
I would be much less worried about the baby getting picked on because I know this hen would be a fierce protector and nobody would touch her chick. What do you think? This is all kind of experimental, I just want to set them up for the best success.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Your silkie might have just been taking a break. My hens would get off the nest for up to an hour most days.

 

[mrsmistoffelees02]

Your silkie might have just been taking a break. My hens would get off the nest for up to an hour most days.

I thought that could be the case, but she’s been off of it all day and this has been the first time she’s wanted to go in the run since she’s been broody… I get the feeling she’s over it.

 

[mrsmistoffelees02]

@azygous @Cinnamon Roll

Well, it happened! I went to check on the egg and sure enough, a fuzzy baby was in its place!

I wasn’t expecting it to hatch for another few days at least. This is the current temporary setup. I blocked off the nest with a 2x4 board and added water with rocks so baby won’t drown and food. I’ve tried to do as much research as I can, and I know I should have tried moving her nest before the baby hatched, but I knew she wouldn’t keep setting if I messed with her. The nesting box is a few feet off the ground and she’s head hen so I’m sure nobody will mess with the baby. Should I do anything differently?

Baby is kind of in a ball. Her head seemed tucked under her wing and her down wasn’t fluffy yet. Is this normal? I haven’t seen a chick just after hatching before. I’m hoping everything is ok with her.

 

[Huntmaster]

What is that feed looks like pellets?