Mom and Babies Outside the Nest

[MandaPanda106]

Hi all!
First year with chickens and it’s been a blast! I free range my chickens. They have a secure coop for the night. One hen “disappeared” and then popped back up with two babies. She hatched them under a wood pile. Every day they hang out on our porch and gradually explore further out. They go back to the wood pile at night. The chicks are now 6 weeks old. Around 4:30 this morning, I heard my rooster. Decided to get up and poke my head out to see why. Well I heard my hen on the porch so I looked around and she had her babies up on the porch.

Security camera didn’t pick up any predators near the wood pile (and my assumption is I would have heard the commotion if they were being attacked by something), and there was no other signs of distress. Do y’all think she is starting to get these teenagers to move out? I looked in the wood pile and there was nothing in it. The space is big enough for all of them to fit, which leads me to think she’s forcing them to move out.

Next step would be to try and get them in the coop at night. That’s going to be a challenge, but I’m hoping maybe mom is getting them closer and the porch is the first step. What do you think?

This will be helpful to know because I have a new mom on the porch now too. Luckily I convinced her to move with her 1 week old chicks into a secure cage with locks at night (covered the sides so nothing can reach in, and it’s right under my window to hear at night).

 

[Cloverfluff]

My sister had a chicken who decided to lay a clutch in secret and hatch them in the hayloft. I had a broody hen that I had just bought chicks for the previous day and my sister suddenly sent me a photo of the hen with two chicks following.

 

[MandaPanda106]

My sister had a chicken who decided to lay a clutch in secret and hatch them in the hayloft. I had a broody hen that I had just bought chicks for the previous day and my sister suddenly sent me a photo of the hen with two chicks following.

Goodness!! I got chicken breeds that were “less likely” to go broody. Two so far have hatched. I had to grow out two in the house because mom left them with the two bigger ones. Now I’m growing a third inside because the second mom left behind eggs and I put them under a heater and had one hatch. They just do whatever they want ha!

 

[Cloverfluff]

Goodness!! I got chicken breeds that were “less likely” to go broody. Two so far have hatched. I had to grow out two in the house because mom left them with the two bigger ones. Now I’m growing a third inside because the second mom left behind eggs and I put them under a heater and had one hatch. They just do whatever they want ha!

Yep, I'm half hoping that Crown is a boy because he is the only offspring of my Silky Rooster. I should probably look into genetics influencing behavior of mixed breeds. I can only guess the hen, though it's a 50/50 chance of a red or a rose Rhode. The single silky hen I have decided to go broody again after only a month of raising Crown. She's currently sitting 5 eggs. I am definitely going to have to put my foot down on having only one silky.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do y’all think she is starting to get these teenagers to move out?

I've had broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks old. I've had broody hens wait until the chicks were almost 3 months old before weaning them. I've had hens take care of their chicks during the day but not sleep with them at night. I've had hens sleep with them at night but not take care of them during the day. I'm not there looking at them but if she was with them on the porch at 4:30 in the morning it does not sound like she is weaning them.

I occasionally train a broody hen to take her chicks to a separate shelter at night when the main coop is crowded. Before they wean them some of those broody hens take their chicks back to the main coop to sleep. Not all do that but some do. Are you sure she did not take her chicks to sleep on your porch last night? That may be her trying to integrate the chicks with the rest of the flock.

Next step would be to try and get them in the coop at night. That’s going to be a challenge, but I’m hoping maybe mom is getting them closer and the porch is the first step. What do you think?

Yes, that is exactly what I think. But she may consider the porch close enough.

I got chicken breeds that were “less likely” to go broody.

According to the weather forecast it is "likely" I will get some rain today. I may not see any rain where I am but it is likely. It is unlikely I will see rain tomorrow but I might.

I've had hens from breeds likely to go broody that never did. There are plenty of stories on this forum of hens from breeds not likely to go broody that make great mothers. As you have seen, likely does not mean always. Unlikely does not mean never. You seem to be handling this better than many people on this forum.

Good luck with it. It is always an adventure.

 

[MandaPanda106]

This is all very helpful! I am a beekeeper and the saying is “ask 2 beekeepers what to do and you’ll get 3 answers.” Sounds like keeping chickens - chickens are different and experiences are different. It’s now been a few nights and she hasn’t been back on the porch. But no one is harmed and she’s returned to the wood pile since, so I don’t know. I’m grateful that whatever happened, they were safe. I think you’re right that she’s starting to acclimate the chicks to the rest of the flock. She’s taking them further out during the day and around the other birds. Still very protective, which is really cool to see.

I like your second enclosure idea. I already plant to build a “grow out” pen inside the coop so I guess I need to get my act together and get it done. Now I’ll have something closer to the house for these birds that like to nest away from the coop.

Also love the weather analogy - learned my lesson on “less likely to go broody” HA!