Moving mama hen/chicks to new coop?? Thoughts??

[Farmlife16]

So, I have a broody BO sitting on 10 eggs in one of my coops. The coop does not have capacity to house any more than four additional chicks and I'm wondering how feasible it would be to move the mama hen/chicks after they hatch to a new coop. Would this stress mama hen out too much? Any experience with moving a mama hen/chicks after they hatch?

 

[aart]

So, I have a broody BO sitting on 10 eggs in one of my coops. The coop does not have capacity to house any more than four additional chicks and I'm wondering how feasible it would be to move the mama hen/chicks after they hatch to a new coop. Would this stress mama hen out too much? Any experience with moving a mama hen/chicks after they hatch?

Are there other birds in this new coop?

 

[Farmlife16]

Are there other birds in this new coop?

No, it would just be them.

 

[aart]

No, it would just be them.

Sounds great.
Is it attached to the run, assuming you have one, that the main coop/flock uses?
What are the plans for the new chicks long term?

 

[Farmlife16]

Sounds great.
Is it attached to the run, assuming you have one, that the main coop/flock uses?
What are the plans for the new chicks long term?

The rest of the flock ranges in a large paddock. I would want the mama hen/chicks to range with the rest of the flock, so the chicks are integrated. One of the other reasons I would want to move the mama hen/chicks to a new coop, is that I want the chicks see the new coop as their home since that will be their coop in the long term. I hope that makes sense!

 

[aart]

The rest of the flock ranges in a large paddock. I would want the mama hen/chicks to range with the rest of the flock, so the chicks are integrated. One of the other reasons I would want to move the mama hen/chicks to a new coop, is that I want the chicks see the new coop as their home since that will be their coop in the long term. I hope that makes sense!

I would move the mama and chicks a day or two after all have hatched, let them acclimate to that coop for a week or so before allowing them to roam.
Where is mama setting, is she contained from the rest of the flock?

 

[Farmlife16]

I would move the mama and chicks a day or two after all have hatched, let them acclimate to that coop for a week or so before allowing them to roam.
Where is mama setting, is she contained from the rest of the flock?

No, she is with the rest of the flock.

Also, thank you so much for your response!

 

[SueT]

So, I have a broody BO sitting on 10 eggs in one of my coops. The coop does not have capacity to house any more than four additional chicks and I'm wondering how feasible it would be to move the mama hen/chicks after they hatch to a new coop. Would this stress mama hen out too much? Any experience with moving a mama hen/chicks after they hatch?

How did it go? I just found your thread. I have the same situation, I want to move a hen with 6 chicks to a different coop. The chicks are 3 days old today. They are in a divided part of the main coop because broody mama insisted on using a nest in that coop. The main coop is maxed out, and I want the new ones to live in our extra coop which is empty, and roomier than their little ‘apartment.’ It sounds a lot like your situation.
I would love to hear how yours fared, any tips and advice would be appreciated!!!!

 

[Farmlife16]

How did it go? I just found your thread. I have the same situation, I want to move a hen with 6 chicks to a different coop. The chicks are 3 days old today. They are in a divided part of the main coop because broody mama insisted on using a nest in that coop. The main coop is maxed out, and I want the new ones to live in our extra coop which is empty, and roomier than their little ‘apartment.’ It sounds a lot like your situation.
I would love to hear how yours fared, any tips and advice would be appreciated!!!!
View attachment 3586074

Sorry for the late response! Life got busy, so I haven't moved her yet. The chicks are getting bigger and I will need to move them in the next few weeks (at the latest). I'm not sure how it will go since the mama is trained to roost/nest in the current coop, but I will post an update once I move them. Did you move yours? How did it go?

Also, your hen and chicks are adorable!!

 

[SueT]

Sorry for the late response! Life got busy, so I haven't moved her yet. The chicks are getting bigger and I will need to move them in the next few weeks (at the latest). I'm not sure how it will go since the mama is trained to roost/nest in the current coop, but I will post an update once I move them. Did you move yours? How did it go?

Also, your hen and chicks are adorable!!

Yes! I moved them the next day, at 3 days old. They were in a hot, stuffy corner of the main coop, too crowded. It was quick, I put mama into a cat carrier, the chicks into a box, and quickly let them out in their spacious empty coop. Within minutes, they were happily stretching their legs and wings.
Now the chicks are 9 days old. I haven’t let them out into the attached run yet, it isn’t quite baby proof. The chicks are bantams and so tiny. I think I’ll finish it today. The coop is 16 sq ft and has a few things to climb on, and a big open door, wire mesh to keep them in for now. I have my chicken watching chair outside and sit there and enjoy them….This pic was taken at 1 week old.

Mama will return to the main flock after she weans them. (I assume she will want to rejoin the flock.) The chicks will stay in this coop which they are now acclimated to. There are 6, but I will not keep more than one cockerel, I am planning for a little flock of 4. We shall see how that goes…..
Btw, she didn’t hatch these chicks. Her eggs had quit and I got these bantam EE chicks locally and slipped them under her two nights before I posted my question to you. She had only been broody 2 weeks. I wasn’t absolutely sure she’d adopt them, but was thrilled that she did! Moving them didn’t interfere with their bonding. It was a tense couple of days.