My hen got mated...now what?

[dancingsquirrel]

I introduced our broodiest bantam to my friends beautiful bantam rooster and they got along famously. So now what? I have had chickens for years but have never attempted chicks, she seemed like the best candidate because she's the"mother hen" of the group.
I am out of town for work three days a week and would like for the hen to do most of the work. My husband is great about feeding and opening doors but I'm not sure about chick sitting. '

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Lol what you need to do is put her in a box with her eggs or give her a place where she can be alone and give her plenty of food and water

 

[21hens-incharge]

Is she even broody? Normally a broody hen will not be laying eggs and won't be mated by the rooster due to that.

If she is not broody she won't set the eggs fertile or not it would be a waste to leave them in the nest.

How old is she? Young pullets rarely go broody.

 

[chickens really]

Hello, Breeding Birds is not like breeding Dogs. The Hen will get bred multiple time a day and will need her hormones to change into Broody mode. She will stop laying eggs and want to set..If your wanting Chicks?..Keep the Rooster around until she goes Broody. Not all Hens will Brood though...
Best wishes.

 

[kissezmychicken]

She will need the rooster around longer than a visit. Maybe you can borrow him for a while?

 

[dancingsquirrel]

Ah, okay. I seriously had no idea how it worked for chickens. I have easy access to the rooster so we can have them visit often.
She's two years and change, not broody now but is the one that's always setting.
Thanks all!!!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

First,
you need to wait until she actually goes broody, and stays broody. Then when it is completely dark, move her to a safe isolated place where she can set, and hatch the chicks. while you are doing this, bring another one of your hens over, and put her in separately with the rooster, and keep her in there for a couple days.
Second,
After a couple days, you can start gathering the eggs from the hen, and keeping them in a carton. Rotate the eggs at least once a day.
Third,
Put as many chicks as you want to hatch, under the hen at the same time. do not add eggs in another day. Make sure the hens water is far away from her, so it will not spill.
Fourth,
Wait 21 days. That is the length it takes for them to incubate. You don't have to do anything. The mom will take care of it. When the chicks hatch, make sure they are in a safe place, and do not put them with the other flock. You might end up with dead chicks. Around eight weeks or before, the hen will abandon them. Then wait until the chicks are almost full grown, before Integrating them with your flock.