Just hatched baby chick care questions.

[LysanderSpooner]

might not be common but ive had very aggressive rats and squirrels both .. i think blocking it with wire is a great idea if you have it .. and id make an alternate box for the other layers and throw a golfball in there to make it attractive .

I've not had any issues with mice or rats or any other vermin yet. From what I gather, they will eventually find our coop after a few years. I don't keep food in the area, just in my garage. I am going to throw some hardware cloth to block her in at night starting today!

 

[LysanderSpooner]

might not be common but ive had very aggressive rats and squirrels both .. i think blocking it with wire is a great idea if you have it .. and id make an alternate box for the other layers and throw a golfball in there to make it attractive .

hahah, aggressive squirrels

 

[LysanderSpooner]

I'm looking for solid advice from our more experienced Chicken parents out there!

I just had a baby chick hatch and Helen, our broody hen, is in the coop with the others with her eggs. She still has five potentials and only one has hatched, this is Day 21. Should I isolate her from the others? I've noticed that other hens attempt to kick her out to lay in that box. I want her to be stress-free as possible and the chicks to be safe and healthy. If I should isolate her, how long and to what measure?

I forgot to mention that it is a Barred Rock Sapphire Gem mix. Thanks for the advice in advance! View attachment 3470826View attachment 3470828View attachment 3470827

As an update we had three chicks hatch. Alex, the black one to hatch first, is a rooster full Barred Rock, and we have a BYM (Barred Rock and EE) Hope that have survived. There was an unfortunate incident on a rainy night where we had one chick and a hen get attacked. We were able to save the laying hen Joey but not our little bym Nikki.