Nest found now what?

[ValkerieGunn]

You’re doing a great job!
I hope you get all the kinks worked out!
Are you going to build a separate pen for your other broody?
Whatever you do, DON’T MIX THEM!!!
This year, I had 3 broodies all at once… since I didn’t have another option, I put them all in one pen. 2 of them were constantly fighting, and gaining up on the other sweet one…. They even killed one of her little fluffy sweethearts.
I ended up having to build a whole bunch of hap-hazard fences to separate them for the next 6 weeks.
I don’t know how yours are, but mine were a mess!

Because Shirley messed up my plans I think I will be having a fun week moving things around to accommodate them. Thankfully I have spare and extra stuff to cobble together a broody pen/grow out pen. Here is hoping it all works.

 

[ValkerieGunn]

This is a random tip: I don’t actually own an isolation pen. So, last time I had a broody with chicks, I kept them in an upside down laundry hamper
It worked out pretty good. I kept them there for a week or two, then let them out into the coop and yard with everyone else. 3 of the ten disappeared, no doubt because of all the barn cats and hawks, but the others are going pretty strong. Here’s one of the chicks. You can tell by the single black tail feather that he’s actually got ghost barring!

I could use one of the dog kennels or rabbit hutches for a bit when the chicks are still small so I am not to worried. They will be small for a while since they are bantams. Looks like I have 1 EE who is much bigger then the rest but still half cochin since it has the feathered legs. The other chicks are Itty bitty.

 

[birdlady11]

If you have any type of predators in the area DO NOT put any food or water in or near the nest as you will only be drawing the predators right to nest to investigate the smell of the food/water.

I would also not put anything underneath the nest to "catch" the chicks when they jump. That cushion will again only draw the attention of the predators to the nest. A jump from a three foot height will not hurt the chicks in any way.

Wood ducks nest in holes in trees, sometimes 20 to 30 feet off the ground, and those babies jump from the nest hole, free fall that whole distance, bounce off the ground, get up and run after mom - and those babies are no more fluffy or build any differently from your chicks. Also, by the look of the vegetation the nest is in, the chicks have the opportunity to work their way down from lower branch to lower branch until they feel close enough to jump for the ground.

As for any unhatched eggs under her, if you have another hen currently brooding then mark the first mom's eggs and set them under the broody hen for her to finish off. If the eggs hatch within a day or two you can easily reintroduce them to the original mom by slipping the new chicks under her at night to join the earlier hatched siblings. Because they have the whole night together they will know each others' voices and come morning mom won't even realize she gained more kids.

Good luck and enjoy!