My Hen just hatched her eggs last night :) :) :)

[MSuomie]

I move my Hen and Chicks into a Brooder for about 5 days and supply a heat lamp over the feed and water area so the Chicks don't get too cold while foraging. Winter hatching can be challenging.

I am so green about things...what is a brooder?

 

[MSuomie]

I like to integrate mama and babies within the first week or so (last broody I had insisted on setting within the flock and had her babies out with the flock within 24 hours of hatching. The advantage of integrating them early (provided, of course, that you have plenty of room) is that mama is full of protective broody hormones. The other chickens will help teach the babies how flock society works and mama will help keep them safe.

Ok, so should i make a special, larger area for her or do I keep her there amongst everyone?

 

[bobbi-j]

Ok, so should i make a special, larger area for her or do I keep her there amongst everyone?

If she were mine, I’d let them be. In my experience, the less managing I try to do, the better off they are. They know far more about being chickens and how flock dynamics work than I do.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I am so green about things...what is a brooder?

I'm not really good with definitions in this maybe isn't the best one but a brooder is essentially an area that is smaller that's just big enough for Mom babies and water where you can safely provide heat if needed but it is separate from the rest of them

 

[MSuomie]

I'm not really good with definitions in this maybe isn't the best one but a brooder is essentially an area that is smaller that's just big enough for Mom babies and water where you can safely provide heat if needed but it is separate from the rest of them

That's good enough for me. I saw it in another member's gallery. Thank you

 

[Birdsong 82]

I guess really it would depend on how your other chickens are and react to the young ones. I've known people who have to separate them because the other chickens will mess with the young ones in other ones I just left them be and everything was fine

 

[MSuomie]

If she were mine, I’d let them be. In my experience, the less managing I try to do, the better off they are. They know far more about being chickens and how flock dynamics work than I do.

This can't be argued with, this is naturally true.

 

[MSuomie]

Here she is sitting in her personal area and she is currently sitting on more eggs..hubby tried to move her to see how many chicks but she barely let him see. We have a few babies so far though

Below is the outside uncovered area for them to come out of their coop. There is a door for them to come out and go in to their coop as well. We just learned from this website that we have to cover the top. I so love this website

 

[MSuomie]

I guess really it would depend on how your other chickens are and react to the young ones. I've known people who have to separate them because the other chickens will mess with the young ones in other ones I just left them be and everything was fine

I basically have to just keep an eye on them more than I have been doing. They are a whole family and we just have to make their house is ok just like ours

 

[aart]

If she's been setting there all this time, she'll be fine.
Give her a couple days to decide to bring chicks off the nest.
Make sure they have a chick sized feeder and waterer.

Did you pull any other eggs that were laid in with her daily?