In those boxes they free range, some of my coop/Runs are set up to accommodate Broody hens though if I feel a certain breed doesn't do well free ranging with chicks like my Old English Game Bantams. Their chicks end up drowning or getting into dangerous situations. The Dorking's do better free ranging than they do cooped up. My Japanese bantam did well free ranging and now I am discovering how well the Ayam Cemani does free ranging.
I'm so glad Susan will finally be getting her babies! 
Thanks! I’ve not gotten shipped chicks either, though I’m familiar with the yolk sac that allows shipping, etc. I’m really really hoping that 1) chicks arrive in good shape and 2) Susan accepts them. My daughter is getting up to go to the post office with me even though she has camp all day too! Finding a box of dead chicks would be tough... I’m trying to think of how to rapidly get food and water into them. I’m figuring that if I want Susan to really be out of it, then I’ll need to get those chicks to her by 5 AM so not much time... I’m wondering if I should leave the chicks in the shipping box, so they don’t have a new area to explore, and put a heating pad or heat light over it, then put electrolytes with nutirdrench and probiotics in a waterer in the shipping box, then some food? It’ll be challenging to get the chicks sleepy for the intro... Seems like younger chicks would increase our chance of acceptance, but I’m fine with keeping them in the brooder Friday if people think that having chicks under her all night Friday would increase chances of acceptance... If the chicks arrive in poor condition, of course I won’t put under her, I’ll keep them in the brooder for the day and reassess. My plan for Friday AM was to put under hen at 5 AM, hang out next to the pen at dawn, listen for distressed chicks. If things seem to be going ok, then a few hours later, I’d put a little feeder and waterer right beside Mom, which is what I did with Naruto since she seemed convinced that more eggs were going to hatch... Susan’s pretty darn used to me at this point from all of my lifting her on and off the nest once or twice a day for the last month, so I think she’ll be reasonably tolerant of me...
I don't see any reason why you couldn't give them to her early in the morning! I've never ordered shipped chicks but a few things to consider with broody hens is that some are more patient with their "newly hatched" chicks than others and she may sit with the chicks for a day or so waiting for them to be ready to leave the nest box. A broody isn't going to consider whether a chick hatched a few days before she got it, to her they're brand new babies. So yes, I would give them to her but I would make sure that each chick has some water and is offered some feed before giving them to Susan because of their long trip in a box and I would also put a little chick sized feeder and waterer next to her so the babies can still help themselves as they start to bond with their new mom!
I'm sure you already know this but I'll over explain like I always do, lol. The absorbed yolk sac can keep the little chicks nourished for up to 72 hours, in nature that's to give all of the chicks time to hatch under the broody and the chicks can wait with Mom without eating and drinking while their hatchmates finish hatching. That's also what makes it possible to ship newly hatched chicks, so a lot of those hours are used up in the shipping process and your broody isn't going to have the urgency that you do to rush them to food and water if she thinks she just hatched them.
I've never tried playing sounds for the hens. I can't wait to see pictures of Susan with her new babies!!!
Thanks! I’ve not gotten shipped chicks either, though I’m familiar with the yolk sac that allows shipping, etc. I’m really really hoping that 1) chicks arrive in good shape and 2) Susan accepts them. My daughter is getting up to go to the post office with me even though she has camp all day too! Finding a box of dead chicks would be tough... I’m trying to think of how to rapidly get food and water into them. I’m figuring that if I want Susan to really be out of it, then I’ll need to get those chicks to her by 5 AM so not much time... I’m wondering if I should leave the chicks in the shipping box, so they don’t have a new area to explore, and put a heating pad or heat light over it, then put electrolytes with nutirdrench and probiotics in a waterer in the shipping box, then some food? It’ll be challenging to get the chicks sleepy for the intro... Seems like younger chicks would increase our chance of acceptance, but I’m fine with keeping them in the brooder Friday if people think that having chicks under her all night Friday would increase chances of acceptance... If the chicks arrive in poor condition, of course I won’t put under her, I’ll keep them in the brooder for the day and reassess. My plan for Friday AM was to put under hen at 5 AM, hang out next to the pen at dawn, listen for distressed chicks. If things seem to be going ok, then a few hours later, I’d put a little feeder and waterer right beside Mom, which is what I did with Naruto since she seemed convinced that more eggs were going to hatch... Susan’s pretty darn used to me at this point from all of my lifting her on and off the nest once or twice a day for the last month, so I think she’ll be reasonably tolerant of me...
Fingers crossed!
If the humidity is so high with the water in the underneath tray, plus the sponge, what happens with the sponge removed? That is, maybe you don’t need the sponge? Hoping for the best!!!
