Nest found now what?

[ChickenChick46]

Yeh I set the food and water on the ground a few feet away from the hedge. She is in the hedge out front. The coop, nest boxes, feed, and water are all out back. That is a long trek for a tiny chick so I put some closer for now. Last night 2 babies that I could see. This morning 5. 1 is definitely half Easter Egger with feathered legs though. So cute!

They're so cute! It looks like she's doing a great job!

 

[ValkerieGunn]

They're so cute! It looks like she's doing a great job!

I am wicked happy with how good a Momma she is. I was nervous about broody girls hurting/ taking out their babies but she let's them peck her face and just sits there looking like a exhausted Mom. It is so funny. We are up to 6 visible babies and she is doing great but still sitting. If there are unhatched eggs under her but the hatched chicks are ready will she sit and hatch or abandon the nest for the hatched chicks? I am giving it time but checking often for babies on the ground because we do have some feral cats around here.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I am wicked happy with how good a Momma she is. I was nervous about broody girls hurting/ taking out their babies but she let's them peck her face and just sits there looking like a exhausted Mom. It is so funny. We are up to 6 visible babies and she is doing great but still sitting. If there are unhatched eggs under her but the hatched chicks are ready will she sit and hatch or abandon the nest for the hatched chicks? I am giving it time but checking often for babies on the ground because we do have some feral cats around here.

I can just picture that. I remember watching my mother dog's face when the babies were old enough to bite and pull at her lips and ears, lol. Poor Bella.

I'm not sure about whether she'll sit or go with the other chicks since I've never been through this. I bet someone on here has some good advice on that though.

 

[16 and me]

I can just picture that. I remember watching my mother dog's face when the babies were old enough to bite and pull at her lips and ears, lol. Poor Bella.

I'm not sure about whether she'll sit or go with the other chicks since I've never been through this. I bet someone on here has some good advice on that though.

In my experience, all my broody hens will abandon the unhatched eggs after day 3 or 4, and take care of the chicks that are in need of food and water. She has a lot of work to do teaching them to forage and dust bathe and avoid danger. It's a beautiful thing.

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Well I have no idea what happened but I heard odd sounds and went to check. Shirley was on the ground looking around and calling. A few other chickens ran off when I showed up. 6 babies in the nest with a few eggs unhatched. I had 7 babies earlier so I followed my other hens and Nibbler had the baby in her beak. It was no longer alive. So since Shirley was on the ground I moved her and the eggs and babies to the grow out pen and she plopped down on eggs and babies and seems happy. Now to decide do I drag out the big cage for the 2 chickens I am in the middle of introducing to the flock because they had the grow out pen since it is connected to the coop or just merge them since they have been in the see no touch for 2 weeks.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well I have no idea what happened but I heard odd sounds and went to check. Shirley was on the ground looking around and calling. A few other chickens ran off when I showed up. 6 babies in the nest with a few eggs unhatched. I had 7 babies earlier so I followed my other hens and Nibbler had the baby in her beak. It was no longer alive. So since Shirley was on the ground I moved her and the eggs and babies to the grow out pen and she plopped down on eggs and babies and seems happy. Now to decide do I drag out the big cage for the 2 chickens I am in the middle of introducing to the flock because they had the grow out pen since it is connected to the coop or just merge them since they have been in the see no touch for 2 weeks.

Risky. Put your 2 new chickens somewhere else...into the main flock if ready. Trying to put momma and newly hatched babes in with some new chickens might disrupt things with momma still on eggs at a crucial moment.

Chances are the eggs that hatched are all that is going to hatch. Momma will sit for 2 extra days (most of mine sit for just 1 extra day) then move off the nest taking the babes to a new location abandoning whatever has not hatched. Baby chicks have enough yolk absorbed to survive 2 days after hatch but then need to be led to food and water. Shirley has decided it's move day already, so likely nothing else will hatch....but you've pulled her and eggs so give it another day...then put eggs in incubator if you are so inclined and let Shirley tend to the hatchlings in the grow out pen. I'd put some food and water nearby for chicks since you've encouraged her to finish out some on the nest so that the babes can hydrate and nourish.

It's always risky with a new flock who has never had a broody before. Some are totally chill, others will attack the broody hen on integration, others attack the chicks. Best practice is to put mom and babes in an isolated grow out until you've acclimated your flock to babes. In ideal flocks, momma hatches within the flock (usually taking the favorite nest box), and integrates from day one with the rooster running any interference with nosy "Karens." But we've domesticated chickens so much for high laying and poor brooding that a lot of those instincts are lost in many birds. So...you plan for contingencies.

I'd not invest too much more in the unhatched eggs but let Shirley focus on the chicks.

Good job Shirley.

LofMc

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Risky. Put your 2 new chickens somewhere else...into the main flock if ready. Trying to put momma and newly hatched babes in with some new chickens might disrupt things with momma still on eggs at a crucial moment.

Chances are the eggs that hatched are all that is going to hatch. Momma will sit for 2 extra days (most of mine sit for just 1 extra day) then move off the nest taking the babes to a new location abandoning whatever has not hatched. Baby chicks have enough yolk absorbed to survive 2 days after hatch but then need to be led to food and water. Shirley has decided it's move day already, so likely nothing else will hatch....but you've pulled her and eggs so give it another day...then put eggs in incubator if you are so inclined and let Shirley tend to the hatchlings in the grow out pen. I'd put some food and water nearby for chicks since you've encouraged her to finish out some on the nest so that the babes can hydrate and nourish.

It's always risky with a new flock who has never had a broody before. Some are totally chill, others will attack the broody hen on integration, others attack the chicks. Best practice is to put mom and babes in an isolated grow out until you've acclimated your flock to babes. In ideal flocks, momma hatches within the flock (usually taking the favorite nest box), and integrates from day one with the rooster running any interference with nosy "Karens." But we've domesticated chickens so much for high laying and poor brooding that a lot of those instincts are lost in many birds. So...you plan for contingencies.

I'd not invest too much more in the unhatched eggs but let Shirley focus on the chicks.

Good job Shirley.

LofMc

My grow out pen has a wire mesh door that goes into the coop. It is closed now. The new chickens have been free ranging a portion of my property that is fenced so they still get the see no touch part. They were not in the pen when I put Shirley in. She immediately went and sat on the eggs and the babies followed her so there is that. Food and water is in there for them. I just think one of the others either hopped into the hedge hoping to force Shirley to move so they could lay and had chicks right there or the chick fell out and the adults took that and ran. Either way everyone is happy for now. I did decide to haul out the big cage for the 2 to sleep in tonight then intergrate tomorrow where I can keep an eye on everyone. I figure as long as she is on the nest the pen stays closed and once she is ready in a few days to a week I will open the back to the fenced area.

I was not expecting this. The 1 broody I did know about would have the grow out pen to herself when she hatches in 2 weeks because the 2 new chickens would have been integrated by then. She at least is in a nest box, I thought Shirley got taken by coyotes since she was around just not in the coop at night for almost 2 months. In the day she was present though until the coyotes came through a bit ago and we thought we lost her to them. Guess this is my lesson. Free ranging means so many failsafes for everything. 2 years and no issues then in year 3 of chickens 2 of my 6 month pullets go broody lol.