Nest boxes with chicks

[bakerjw]

I am hoping that the addition of some nest boxes will convince a couple of my hens to go broody very soon. From what I have read it is best to have the nest boxes a foot or so above the floor of the coop. If I allow a broody to sit on viable eggs in one how will she handle the chicks when it comes time for her to take them out or to bring them back inside for the night? Build a small detachable ramp up to her preferred nest box for the little ones to use to get to momma? Or build her a special nest box on the floor?

After my incubator fiascoes I am now of the mind to allow my good hens to do what comes natural with my fertilized White Rock eggs.

 

[Nostalchic]

I don't have a ton of experience with broodies raising chicks, but I did find - the few times I've done it - that it was much better to isolate a broody hen and allow her to hatch out and raise her chicks - at least for the first few weeks - in an area where she is safe from other hens either kicking her out of her nest, or injuring the newly hatched chicks. The first time I let a broody sit on the nest in the coop with everyone else, it was such a free-for-all, and the poor broody was so stressed trying to maintain her clutch that I finally moved her into a segregated part of the coop, and then things went well. I know some people do it, and all is well - or they are just fatalistic about it and willing to let "nature take its course" - but I guess what I'm saying is that you could provide nests so that you can identify a committed broody, and then move her to give her a safe place to carry on. If nature were truly "taking its course" the hen would have a truly secret, isolated, hidden nest - but in a community coop, those places just aren't available unless you help out and make it so.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I agree. When one of my hens go broody, I place her in the brooder that I have built for my broody hens. I make a nice nest with hay and I move her and the eggs at night. I already have her food and water in the brooder before putting her inside. She is isolated, safe and secure from the rest of the girls. If I were to leave her and any chicks in a nesting box, she would not get any peace and quiet and the other hens would try to kill the babies. The other hens would jump in the nesting boxes with her and continue to lay eggs as well.

I keep them in the brooder for a few weeks and then I move them to a larger area where the babies can scratch and walk around and play. Once the babies have feathered up and have grown a bit, I let them out to free range (when I am there) for a few hours. Then it is back in their stall area. The babies stay with the mom as long as she lets them.

Below is a pic of one of my brooders that I use to place the broody hen in.

This was cleaning day when I clean the wateres and feeders and put in fresh hay for the broody hens.

After graduating from the brooder, they go into one of these stalls.

After graduating from the stalls, they go to the "Big Yard".

 

[PartridgeRckgal]

Quote:
I agree. When one of my hens go broody, I place her in the brooder that I have built for my broody hens. I make a nice nest with hay and I move her and the eggs at night. I already have her food and water in the brooder before putting her inside. She is isolated, safe and secure from the rest of the girls. If I were to leave her and any chicks in a nesting box, she would not get any peace and quiet and the other hens would try to kill the babies. The other hens would jump in the nesting boxes with her and continue to lay eggs as well.

I keep them in the brooder for a few weeks and then I move them to a larger area where the babies can scratch and walk around and play. Once the babies have feathered up and have grown a bit, I let them out to free range (when I am there) for a few hours. Then it is back in their stall area. The babies stay with the mom as long as she lets them.

Below is a pic of one of my brooders that I use to place the broody hen in.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_brooder_with_compartments.jpg

This was cleaning day when I clean the wateres and feeders and put in fresh hay for the broody hens.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_brooder.jpg

After graduating from the brooder, they go into one of these stalls.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_byc_house.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_feeding_area.jpg

After graduating from the stalls, they go to the "Big Yard".

Very nice setup you have there!!
What type of chickens do you raise?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I agree. When one of my hens go broody, I place her in the brooder that I have built for my broody hens. I make a nice nest with hay and I move her and the eggs at night. I already have her food and water in the brooder before putting her inside. She is isolated, safe and secure from the rest of the girls. If I were to leave her and any chicks in a nesting box, she would not get any peace and quiet and the other hens would try to kill the babies. The other hens would jump in the nesting boxes with her and continue to lay eggs as well.

I keep them in the brooder for a few weeks and then I move them to a larger area where the babies can scratch and walk around and play. Once the babies have feathered up and have grown a bit, I let them out to free range (when I am there) for a few hours. Then it is back in their stall area. The babies stay with the mom as long as she lets them.

Below is a pic of one of my brooders that I use to place the broody hen in.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_brooder_with_compartments.jpg

This was cleaning day when I clean the wateres and feeders and put in fresh hay for the broody hens.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_brooder.jpg

After graduating from the brooder, they go into one of these stalls.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_byc_house.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6612_feeding_area.jpg

After graduating from the stalls, they go to the "Big Yard".

Very nice setup you have there!!
What type of chickens do you raise?

Thank you.

I have the following breeds:
Buff Orpingtons
Black Australorps
Barred Rock
Delwares
Jersey Giants
Buff Brahmas
Banty Cochins
OEG
Leghorns
New Hampshire Reds
Rhode Island Reds
Araucanas

I hope I didn't forget any.

 

[elmo]

One reason I love to use plastic lidded bins as nestboxes is that it makes broody management so easy. I just moved the nestbox with the broody and her nest and eggs in it to where I wanted to put them...the hens never moved a feather.

I actually moved the nestboxes several times every day. At night, I didn't want the boxes down on the ground because I was nervous about predators breaking into the run, so I moved one inside the coop and the other two indoors. In the morning, each hen in her own box went out in the cool shade and I'd move the boxes around to make sure they stayed in the shade all day.

That's something I never could have done with stationary nestboxes.

 

[lillyandlogansmom]

Quote:
Wow! What a great idea!

 

[wannabchick]

Quote:
Great idea.can u send a link to what u get
Do u just keep them on the floor

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

that is a great idea LOVE IT. I read on another group think here or maybe one of my yahoo groups they use the bottoms of cat boxes and put them in where the nest boxes are. Easy to move around and clean that way. I had an old one with the dome lid on it.
I cleaned it out really good bleached it and let the sun dry it out. I have it in my coop now for my bantams and silkies to use. I took the top off and set it on shaving and used the bottom as well and put shavings in it.

so far so good.

 

[wannabchick]

Quote:
Awesome, Thank u