Letting the chicken raise the chicks? So many questions...

[Silexian]

If you have room in your coop. These work great. Her own little hatching suite. No other hens squeezing in, laying extra or breaking eggs. With enough room for the broody to stretch her legs, get a drink and eat. I usually move them in at night. If they don’t stay on the nest. I leave them in it for a few days anyway. To break them of being broody.

some feed.

 

[Dona Worry]

I almost always let a broody hen hatch some eggs, and it is extremely hands off. I have a small pen inside my big coop, so once the hen goes broody, I lock her in there and give her just the eggs I want to hatch. I sometimes candle around day 10 just to see if they are all viable. Once the chicks hatch, I keep momma and chicks in the small pen for a couple of weeks on chick feed, then I let everyone mingle and keep 1 feeder full of "all flock" crumbles.
Most feed stores carry an all flock or "multi life stage" crumble, I just get whatever is local to me, as long as it is small enough for the chicks to eat.
Momma does the rest of the work and takes them free ranging.

 

[Jazzyfresh]

Thanks for the tips! I was wondering how long to keep them away from the rest of the flock.

These work great.

Where did you get it? I've been wanting to set up a little side coop for sick or brooding chickens, and that looks perfect!

 

[Silexian]

Thanks for the tips! I was wondering how long to keep them away from the rest of the flock.






Where did you get it? I've been wanting to set up a little side coop for sick or brooding chickens, and that looks perfect!

I keep the broody and her chicks in the little coop for about a week. I got the one I have at an estate sale. I am sure you can find one online.

 

[Jazzyfresh]

It's official that we are getting eggs for Stew to hatch,


Are there any signs that a broody chicken won't be a good mom?
And will the chicks need any kind of electrolytes in their water?
Is there anything I might not be thinking of?

I'm nervous\exited. Thank you guys for all the help again!

 

[SilverBirds]

It's official that we are getting eggs for Stew to hatch,


Are there any signs that a broody chicken won't be a good mom?
And will the chicks need any kind of electrolytes in their water?
Is there anything I might not be thinking of?

I'm nervous\exited. Thank you guys for all the help again!

You won't know if she's a bad mom until she has chicks. Not many hens are actually bad moms. You may get hens that are not great at sitting, but excellent mothers once they do have chicks.

And you can give them electrolytes for the first few days if you'd like but most people don't give it to them unless they are unwell.

 

[FiteClub]

My red splash Wyandotte went broody in April so I let her be. She hatched three sweet little cuties on May 2. I moved them to a private coop and run where mama has been a great teacher for her chicks. It's been a real pleasure watching her be such a great mama. I'm a little unsure of when to move her back to the general pop coop. Should I look for signs that she's not so "hands on" with the chicks? I do have a pullet pen so moving them would be easy but I want them to stay together as long as mama wants them around.

 

[SilverBirds]

My red splash Wyandotte went broody in April so I let her be. She hatched three sweet little cuties on May 2. I moved them to a private coop and run where mama has been a great teacher for her chicks. It's been a real pleasure watching her be such a great mama. I'm a little unsure of when to move her back to the general pop coop. Should I look for signs that she's not so "hands on" with the chicks? I do have a pullet pen so moving them would be easy but I want them to stay together as long as mama wants them around.

She is such a beauty!

How old are the chicks? Most hens start to wean the chicks at about 8ish weeks old but some will wean at as low as and some won't wean until 12+weeks. You'll know when she's weaning them from her when she starts ignoring them. She'll stops calling for them to eat/drink or when they stray to far from her. She will peck at them when they try to hide under her and they will sleep separately.

When my chicks are about a 3-4 week old, are start integrating them with the flock. I start with the see but no touch and then I free range them together. Not sure if you free range, but you might be able to put mom and the chicks in the big coop and see what happens. She should protect them from the bigger birds.

 

[Jazzyfresh]

I'm a little confused with where Stew should hatch her eggs. She's in the raised nesting box right now, and I set up a private coop for her, but I'm afraid that if I move her she'll freak out trying to get back to her original nest and stop being broody.
Should I move her, or wait till the chicks hatch to move them to the private coop? We have three nesting boxes and 9 hens, will one less nesting box effect the other hens?

 

[Jazzyfresh]

I locked her in the mini coop with food and water with a nest full of eggs. Hopefully she gets the point.