Letting a hen hatch in winter yay or nay?

[aart]

I'd wait until they all hatch before moving mama and chicks to area under roost for a week or so.
Hopefully there room under there for a nest of some sort, feed/water, and some room for mama to roam a bit.

 

[kylen2007]

Hatching is usually stretched out over about 24 hours. They have enough yolk remaining in their abdomen to carry them a good 36 to 48 hours beyond hatch. Ideally allow all to hatch then wait for hen to move chicks out of nest her self. I that day is really cold and chicks expected to have trouble getting out of nest then that is when you need to intervene. The chicks can handle falling several feet without damage so do not worry about that. You are going to find this process is very easy when mother is involved. Have a shallow water dish where hen and chicks can get to it easily and feet a couple feet from the water and you are well on your way. Use a chick starter and do not be concerned if hen eats it.

Sounds easy enough. Thank you for all your help! I know I am asking a ton of questions.

 

[kylen2007]

I'd wait until they all hatch before moving mama and chicks to area under roost for a week or so.
Hopefully there room under there for a nest of some sort, feed/water, and some room for mama to roam a bit.

The area is 32"x48". So she sould have some room especially if it only for a week or 2. I just know a couple of my hens are jerks. I have threatened to cull them a couple times. Had to save a pullet from one one timez guess she crossed the line in the pecking order and she went nuts. Maybe That's why I'm so nervous. Lol

 

[aart]

Quote: You'll have to watch them closely when you finally let the mama and chicks out....
.....my mama broody got into some hellacious battles at first over the main feeder,
chicks were never in danger but it was alarming, I had to break up the fights as cockbird couldn't do it.

 

[centrarchid]

I have lost chicks directly and indirectly from hen-hen interactions and hen not he mother attacking chicks. These problems are not exclusive realm of game chickens especially when chicks are small. Altercations chicks can walk away from can have long-term health impacts. With my dominiques broods can average a couple chicks more at weaning (5 weeks post-hatch) if broody hens with chicks are given a little space from each other and concentrations of larger birds, especially adults. We conditions very much complicate issues especially where parasites and hypothermia can be complicating factors.


Hens in high stress settings last year reared about 6 quality chicks per brood while those more isolated hens were up around 8 or more. Most produced more than one brood and some had high stress one round and low stress the next.

 

[kylen2007]

I have read bout hens being bad mothers once the chicks hatch? I will I know? If she is will I know early on? I'd hate to lose the chicks to hypothermia bc mama wasn't a good one.

 

[centrarchid]

Most hens are good even on first go. What you need to ensure is chicks do not get into a situation where they cannot get to their mother when she settles down to brood them. You also need to make sure they do not get too wet too often. Even the best mommas can fail if your setup isolates chicks or gets them chronically wet. Try to have so chicks are not forced to jump more than 2" or get caught behind walls of any sort.

 

[kylen2007]

I decided to use the space under my roost for momma and chicks the first few weeks. Its the safest place I can put them and not worry about her taking them outside on me or the other hens messing with them. This time of year everything is wet outside and I have a nice size ramp going into the coop that I donmt trust the little ones going up and down. I rather be safe than sorry.

 

[aart]

I had the chicks get left outside the first time she took them out.....which was maybe a week after I took down barrier, chicks were a few weeks old.
She went back to nest at dusk and left a few outside, they didn't 'get' the ramp...shm....I tried to catch them and they darted thru the run fence.<rolleyes>
I had to take portable nest outside and wait until they were all back in there, then block the entrance and carry it back into coop.
She kept them in for the next few days and I rigged a 'practice' ramp sprinkled with feed until they figure it out.
Was kinda of funny, but nerve racking.

 

[kylen2007]

Okay, tomorrow is day 19. I know they will be hatching any day after tomorrow so I want to get it all set up for them tomorrow. I have an enclosed area to move her to once she and babies leave the nesting box. I am putting a nest inside the area for them and food and water. I already have chick feed from the 22 chicks I have in the brooder. The day the chicks hatch is there anything special I need to do or is she going to do it all? I have delivered kittens and puppies before. Do I need to dry the babies after they hatch? Sorry so many questions. I am one who likes to be prepapred. I'm sure I am completely over thinking it. Also can anyone give me any suggestions how to break a broody hen? I had a second one go broody a few days ago. I keep throwing her how in the run but she is relentless. Thank you all and I promise pics of the chicks once they hatch. Out of the initial 10 she still had 8 going strong.