Momma Hatching Questions - many!

[SSWadian]

I have my 2nd (ever) hen sitting on 6 eggs. Since our nest boxes are up high, I picked up the nest box w her & eggs & set it in a prepared dog cage within the coop. My 1st hen hatched her egg (& I gave her an adopted baby) 3 weeks ago. Moving her was a disaster & she broke an egg in her fit, so I tried something different w 2nd momma. I locked her in (food & water available) for 24 hrs. Opened the cage so she could mingle, eat & drink w the flock. Both times I left it open, she left that nest & went to another nest! Now she's locked in except when I go in the coop. I make her get out to poop & stretch. She eats then too. Doesn't appear to eat, drink & poop in the cage! Is this normal? Also, other hens attack her when she's out! I thought being in the coop in a crate she would not be considered an outsider?!

1st Momma is in a large crate/brooder inside the coop w her 2, 3 wk old chicks. Should I let them out? W how the others are treating the other hen, I'm afraid for her & especially the chicks! I'm a big researcher, but I am not finding much on these issues!

 

[NatJ]

How big are your coop and run? It can make a big difference in choosing what's best to do.

If the chickens have a giant field to run around in, it should be fine to let 1st Momma nd her chicks out. But in a small space, the other chickens may pick on her and the chicks, or she may pick on the others to make them leave the chicks alone.

Can you arrange a separate but adjoining area? I'm thinking an adjacent run, so each group (adults vs. hen & chicks) have plenty of space, but can see each other easily.

About the hen that won't eat/drink/poop in the cage with the nest: I do not know if it's normal or not, but I have had a hen do that too. I know they try to keep their nest clean, so maybe she thinks the whole crate is "nest"? Or maybe she would eventually get off the nest, but you're making her do it often enough that she never gets around to it on her own?

 

[NatJ]

I'm a big researcher, but I am not finding much on these issues!

https://themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html
Here's the first of a series of articles that I found interesting. (I don't have much personal experience with broody hens, so I don't know how much the author is right or wrong, but at least I found it interesting to read.)

 

[SSWadian]

How big are your coop and run? It can make a big difference in choosing what's best to do.

If the chickens have a giant field to run around in, it should be fine to let 1st Momma nd her chicks out. But in a small space, the other chickens may pick on her and the chicks, or she may pick on the others to make them leave the chicks alone.

Can you arrange a separate but adjoining area? I'm thinking an adjacent run, so each group (adults vs. hen & chicks) have plenty of space, but can see each other easily.

About the hen that won't eat/drink/poop in the cage with the nest: I do not know if it's normal or not, but I have had a hen do that too. I know they try to keep their nest clean, so maybe she thinks the whole crate is "nest"? Or maybe she would eventually get off the nest, but you're making her do it often enough that she never gets around to it on her own?

We have lots of room. We have 12 chickens in a 10×10 coop. We have a 10x12 run, but it is always open (except if we won't be home in the evening prior to them going in for the night) to a fenced in chicken yard that is approx half the size of a football field (maybe 45 yards). It doesn't matter, as soon as the mommas get off their nests & leave the coop, the others attack. We are working on a maternity ward for both mommas & chicks, but it won't be done soon enough. It will be just big enough for 2 hens w chicks & have it's own little run within the chicken yard. No momma #2 was left on her own 24 hrs & no poop in the large dog crate so I go out once or twice a day to make her & she fights me.

 

[Perris]

just about everything to do with broodies is covered in this thread somewhere or other!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread.457488/

 

[NatJ]

We are working on a maternity ward for both mommas & chicks, but it won't be done soon enough. It will be just big enough for 2 hens w chicks & have it's own little run within the chicken yard.

You may need to separate the two mommas from each other, too.

momma #2 was left on her own 24 hrs & no poop in the large dog crate so I go out once or twice a day to make her & she fights me.

I don't know how common this is, but it sounds like you're right that she needs to be taken off regularly, for the sake of her own health. It's a pity that she does not appreciate your help

 

[SSWadian]

You may need to separate the two mommas from each other, too.



I don't know how common this is, but it sounds like you're right that she needs to be taken off regularly, for the sake of her own health. It's a pity that she does not appreciate your help

Hope not, because it can't happen - we don't have a way to do so the way our coop is set up and he's struggling to get this 1 done with the hours he works and EVERYONE is sold out of the ones you can buy (that are reasonably priced).

 

[NatJ]

Hope not, because it can't happen - we don't have a way to do so the way our coop is set up and he's struggling to get this 1 done with the hours he works and EVERYONE is sold out of the ones you can buy (that are reasonably priced).

I've seen stories of hens who got along well together while they were raising chicks, and stories of hens who did not, so I suppose you'll find out which way yours are when it happens. Hopefully, what they need will be what you are able to provide!

 

[SSWadian]

I've seen stories of hens who got along well together while they were raising chicks, and stories of hens who did not, so I suppose you'll find out which way yours are when it happens. Hopefully, what they need will be what you are able to provide!

We let them both out free tonight. Opened the brooder door & Momma ushered her 2 chicks right out! Momma #2 was forced out. She was so upset she didn't bother w anything. #1 & her chicks set out to explore the run & yard. It was cute watching her showing them the grass. A few hens came close & she got them away. My rooster Sampson was a so cute. He talked to them & tried showing them food in the grass. The 1 hen I think is the flock's "guardian" hen (just read about this) & 1st to attack the broodies did so in the yard. They fought & it took everything I had not to intervene. I hoped Sampson would, but he didn't. Momma won & things calmed down. She eventually took the chicks back to the brooder (thank God, I was half afraid she'd try to set up camp elsewhere). We then candled #2's 6 eggs. At least 5 were doing great-actually saw some movement. Couldn't see good enough in the darkest brown egg other than a lot of veins so we let it stay for now. I won't candle them again until day 17 & that will be it unless they go over 21 days. Overall I was really happy w the evening's events. Left the brooder open for the 1st night...