Moving a newly hatched chick and broody hen

[Summer77time]

I have a broody hen who just hatched one chick and is still sitting on one egg, I was hoping to move them to a seperate pen away from the other chickens and provide food and water. Is it okay to move them now or should I wait a while? there is no food or water in the coop and no way for the chick to get out to it...the coop is raised

 

[Judy]

If possible, I would leave them alone til the other one hatches. Remember, the first chick can live off its yolk for up to 3 days. You could always put small bowls of food and water in with her for a day or two. She will not want to stay on the unhatched egg longer than that; she will want to abandon it to raise her chick..

Have you considered having her raise her chicks in with the flock? You can place a couple of bricks around so the chicks can get to the food and water, although the mama will hand food down to the chick. All you really have to do is change out the layer feed for chick feed and let the flock eat chick feed for the 15 or 16 weeks that the chicks should not have layer feed. The mama will make a nest and cover her chicks most anywhere there is a little bedding., and she should protect the chicks from any hens wanting to bother the chicks. I prefer this method because the chicks are already integrated in the flock when the mama stops mothering them, aorund 6 weeks or so of age.

People do it both ways, though. There are pros and cons to both methods, certainly.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/693407/broody-bird-what-to-do/0_20#post_9400530

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks

 

[Summer77time]

Thank you Judy!! I put food and water up in the coop and will just leave them be for now..Thanks again for the advice