Is my almost hen broody? When will the eggs hatch?

[NatJ]

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This is the small coop I used it in the summer to introduce new my chicks when they grew up to my original flock. I took down the run and it just sits there now but I’d have to fix the roof if I could figure out how to do it.

Maybe put a tarp or a plastic shower curtain over the top and down some of the sides. Staple it securely in place (on the sides, not the top, so you won't have leaks through the staple holes.) That is usually enough to keep water out for a few months.

We have a small coop thing but it’s not water proof and i’d need another heater. So I would have to fix the roof. If I did use a dog kennel where would I put it? In the coop? Or the house? It rarely gets down to 20 degrees F where we live.

The small coop should not need a heater for a broody hen in those temperatures. After the chicks hatch, they should not really need a heater either, except maybe to keep their water liquid. The hen is all the heater needed by the chicks.

If you did use a dog kennel, yes any of those places would work.

If I remove her from the flock will she be lonely? When can I put her back in?

While she is broody, she will not be lonely. A broody hen is not interested in socializing.

You put her back in when she is done hatching eggs. You can put a broody hen and chicks back with the flock, or you can wait until she is done raising chicks and put just her back. If you put a hen & chicks with the flock, be sure the pen is big enough. A broody hen will usually protect her chicks by making all the other chickens stay far away (3 feet away, 6 feet away, 10 feet away-- it depends on the hen.) This works when they are free ranging, and in large runs or large coops, but it can cause problems in smaller spaces because they just can't get far enough apart.

Ok! One more thing the little spaces are big enough for a chick to slip through. I gave her her eggs that she left and she tucked them under her. I took one that looked odd though. Is it bad to lift her up to see how many she has then put her back on?

It is fine to check the eggs and then put her back. Don't do it too frequently (stress for the hen), but once or twice a day is probably fine. With other hens in the same coop, it is a good idea to check at least once a day to remove new eggs before they have time to develop chicks.

 

[fluffycrow]

You'd need to make sure they can't escape from the gaps. Something like chicken wire would work for this, since the base structure is built with something durable that can keep a predator out, and you'll just be reinforcing it with flimsy chicken wire. I would not check under her, since you'll be doing a drastic move to the dog kennel. I'd worry that because of the constant nest switch, the eggs under her will not be viable, so I'd personally give her new ones, when the final switch is done

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Maybe put a tarp or a plastic shower curtain over the top and down some of the sides. Staple it securely in place (on the sides, not the top, so you won't have leaks through the staple holes.) That is usually enough to keep water out for a few months.


The small coop should not need a heater for a broody hen in those temperatures. After the chicks hatch, they should not really need a heater either, except maybe to keep their water liquid. The hen is all the heater needed by the chicks.

If you did use a dog kennel, yes any of those places would work.


While she is broody, she will not be lonely. A broody hen is not interested in socializing.

You put her back in when she is done hatching eggs. You can put a broody hen and chicks back with the flock, or you can wait until she is done raising chicks and put just her back. If you put a hen & chicks with the flock, be sure the pen is big enough. A broody hen will usually protect her chicks by making all the other chickens stay far away (3 feet away, 6 feet away, 10 feet away-- it depends on the hen.) This works when they are free ranging, and in large runs or large coops, but it can cause problems in smaller spaces because they just can't get far enough apart.


It is fine to check the eggs and then put her back. Don't do it too frequently (stress for the hen), but once or twice a day is probably fine. With other hens in the same coop, it is a good idea to check at least once a day to remove new eggs before they have time to develop chicks.

Ok so I should mark them with a pencil? This is the coop and run including her there are 11 chickens two are roosters. Please

excuse the dirty coop these pictures are from awhile ago.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Is the coop and run big enough?

 

[fluffycrow]

Is the coop and run big enough?

Yes, very much so. Just make sure to reinforce the sturdy wire with something that has smaller gaps so that the chicks don't escape

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Yes, very much so. Just make sure to reinforce the sturdy wire with something that has smaller gaps so that the chicks don't escape

Yay! I’m so glad I’m going to leave her in her nest box a few days and see if she stays then try fencing her in then maybe try moving her. Thanks for all your help! Not sure if any chicks will actually hatch but have any good name ideas?

 

[NatJ]

Ok so I should mark them with a pencil?

Yes, that is a good way to keep track of which eggs she is supposed to be hatching.
Go for big obvious marks, not tiny little ones. A giant X or a line all the way around the egg can be good. The marks will tend to rub off with time, so you might have to redo them once or twice before hatching time.

Is the coop and run big enough?

I'm not sure if the big coop is big enough for a hen with chicks to share with other chickens-- it will depend on how much space she thinks she needs, which can vary from one hen to another. I think the run looks big enough. The small coop is plenty big enough for a hen to hatch eggs and raise chicks, as long as no other chickens are sharing it with the hen & chicks.

Yay! I’m so glad I’m going to leave her in her nest box a few days and see if she stays then try fencing her in then maybe try moving her. Thanks for all your help! Not sure if any chicks will actually hatch but have any good name ideas?

If you want to move her, it is usually better to do it right away and be done with it. If you leave her alone, then mess with a fence, then leave her alone for a bit, then move her: you have many more times that she is disturbed.

If you fence her in where she is, just leave her there until the chicks hatch. After the chicks have hatched, it is usually fine to move the hen and chicks to a new place. The hen will typically stay with the chicks (who yell if she goes away), rather than trying to go back to the old nest.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Yes, that is a good way to keep track of which eggs she is supposed to be hatching.
Go for big obvious marks, not tiny little ones. A giant X or a line all the way around the egg can be good. The marks will tend to rub off with time, so you might have to redo them once or twice before hatching time.


I'm not sure if the big coop is big enough for a hen with chicks to share with other chickens-- it will depend on how much space she thinks she needs, which can vary from one hen to another. I think the run looks big enough. The small coop is plenty big enough for a hen to hatch eggs and raise chicks, as long as no other chickens are sharing it with the hen & chicks.



If you want to move her, it is usually better to do it right away and be done with it. If you leave her alone, then mess with a fence, then leave her alone for a bit, then move her: you have many more times that she is disturbed.

If you fence her in where she is, just leave her there until the chicks hatch. After the chicks have hatched, it is usually fine to move the hen and chicks to a new place. The hen will typically stay with the chicks (who yell if she goes away), rather than trying to go back to the old nest.

The reason I don’t want to use the small coop is because it needs a lot of work. She is molting and a drizzle so I’m worried about her being cold. It’s just not as nice a coop. If I fence her in how big a little area with food and water so she can get up or just around the nest? Could I use cardboard with supports? To fence her in? Once she has chicks I guess I could move her to the small coop with her chicks once hatched if needed?

 

[NatJ]

The reason I don’t want to use the small coop is because it needs a lot of work. She is molting and a drizzle so I’m worried about her being cold. It’s just not as nice a coop. If I fence her in how big a little area with food and water so she can get up or just around the nest? Could I use cardboard with supports? To fence her in?

Fenced area: big enough for her to eat & drink, walk a bit, poop. It is nice if she also has the ability to dustbathe. If you happen to be outside when she gets off the nest, you can let her into the main coop to have more space, then make sure she gets back in when she is done.

For making a fence, anything that will contain a chicken is fine. Yes, cardboard might work, along with things like chicken wire, or even mesh fabric if you have it handly. You don't need predator-proof in this case, just chicken-proof. You should make sure some air and light can come through, so cardboard supports can be fine but solid cardboard all over would be a problem.

For whether to use the small coop: using it could be fine or not-using it could be fine, but I think you should decide now, and not try to move her halfway through brooding. It sounds like you have decided not to use it.

Once she has chicks I guess I could move her to the small coop with her chicks once hatched if needed?

Yes, once the chicks hatch you can decide whether to leave her & the chicks where they are, or whether to move them at that point. You can move a hen with chicks at just about any point (much easier than a broody hen with eggs.)

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Fenced area: big enough for her to eat & drink, walk a bit, poop. It is nice if she also has the ability to dustbathe. If you happen to be outside when she gets off the nest, you can let her into the main coop to have more space, then make sure she gets back in when she is done.

For making a fence, anything that will contain a chicken is fine. Yes, cardboard might work, along with things like chicken wire, or even mesh fabric if you have it handly. You don't need predator-proof in this case, just chicken-proof. You should make sure some air and light can come through, so cardboard supports can be fine but solid cardboard all over would be a problem.

For whether to use the small coop: using it could be fine or not-using it could be fine, but I think you should decide now, and not try to move her halfway through brooding. It sounds like you have decided not to use it.


Yes, once the chicks hatch you can decide whether to leave her & the chicks where they are, or whether to move them at that point. You can move a hen with chicks at just about any point (much easier than a broody hen with eggs.)

Thank you so much for all your help!