Mama Hen hatched THIRTEEN babies yesterday.

[mrswalker]

There are a lot of details to this and they all are pertinent, so I'll try to keep it simple! Sorry if it's a long read.

Mama bird hatched 13 babies outside the coop yesterday. They're now in an outdoor brooder on my back porch, 4x4x2' with an open corner in the top so mom can hop in and out if she wants to.

I added a bit of supplemental heat, just enough to keep the babies from getting too cold if they explore to the far corners of the box.

I've never had a hatch at this time of year, and NEVER so many. I doubt Mama bird will be able to cover them all for very long. In spring or summer the transition to the coop is simple, and they can adjust to cooling weather over time. But we're in Maine and it'll definitely be snowing before they feather out.

How do you transition chicks to a coop at this time of year, with the weather that's coming our way?

 

[muddy75]

Congratulations on your hatch!!!! @Eggcessive may be able to give advice on transition

 

[STACEYH]

Congratulations on your new additions. I hope everything goes well.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you place your brooder box inside your coop? I always let my broodies keep the chicks inside the coop with the other chickens, so that they are integrated right away. I do keep them inside an XL dog crate with the broody for 2 days until all eggs hatch. On the 3rd day I open the gate and she takes the chicks out in the coop and protects them. The reason this has worked for me is that once a broody abandoned her chicks after 2 weeks. By then the 6 chicks were independent, knew how to free range and find food and water, and they would all roost in a nest box until they would no longer fit together. Then they started roosting all together until they grew up. The weather was cool, but not as cold as ME. You could place a heat lamp (doubly secured,) just in case they need a heat source. Good luck.

 

[3KillerBs]

Wow!

Good luck with mama and her not-so-little family.

 

[cluckcluckhens]

Congrats!

I have only let a hen hatch eggs last year. I can't imagine having 13 chicks at one time. You're gonna be busy.

 

[NatJ]

Mama bird hatched 13 babies outside the coop yesterday. They're now in an outdoor brooder on my back porch, 4x4x2' with an open corner in the top so mom can hop in and out if she wants to.

I can't imagine the mother wanting to hop out without her babies, but giving her the option shouldn't be a problem (unless a predator gets in by that opening?)

I added a bit of supplemental heat, just enough to keep the babies from getting too cold if they explore to the far corners of the box.

If the temperature is above freezing, and the wind cannot blow hard through the box, I would not heat most of the space at all. If you are worrying about them all fitting under the hen, you could add heat in one corner, so they have the option to warm up, but I would still leave the rest of it unheated. They can run off, get a little cold, and run back to mamma. Or they can get cold, peep loudly, and have mamma call them back.

I've never had a hatch at this time of year, and NEVER so many. I doubt Mama bird will be able to cover them all for very long.

You might be surprised. A hen can spread her wings out to cover a bunch of chicks, and all the chicks huddled together put out a fair bit of heat themselves.

In spring or summer the transition to the coop is simple, and they can adjust to cooling weather over time. But we're in Maine and it'll definitely be snowing before they feather out.

How do you transition chicks to a coop at this time of year, with the weather that's coming our way?

I would provide somewhere with a roof and a windbreak, make sure they have food and water, and probably provide heat if needed to keep it above freezing (literally, I just mean warm enough to keep ice from forming on the water.)

Other than that, keep an eye on them to see how they are doing, but I think they will probably do fine.

If you are worried about them eating enough, you could offer some wet mash (chick starter + water) once or twice a day. They usually love that, and fill their crops just as full as they can get.

 

[NatJ]

@mrswalker
How are they doing?

 

[mrswalker]

@mrswalker
How are they doing?

They’re doing amazing! The first few days I had constant supplemental heat, now we are only using it when the temps are low enough to freeze the water. Every one of the babies is thriving, and so noisy It’s pretty funny to see how wide mama hen fluffs out to cover everyone at night.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

What a Mom! Best of luck with them.