New arrivals in the coop question

[DillardHome]

One of my hens went broody two weeks ago and I decided to let her go for it. She is currently sitting on 9 eggs. I have 13 other hens and 2 roos in the coop as well. This will be the first time one of my hens will have hatched eggs in the coop.
My question is... will the new chicks and momma be left alone by the others? Has anyone ever had to isolate the new arrivals with momma due to the others picking on them?

I am just worried in case the chicks become targets. I want to be prepared since her babies are due to hatch next week.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

 

[chicks4kids]

You should definitely section off an area or isolate the mama before the hatch. The chicks will get eaten/pecked to death by the older birds. Do you know that no other hen has laid in her nest as well? Like when she gets up to eat, drink, and poo?

 

[Gonzo]

Quote:

well said!

 

[Backyard Hencam]

Yes, keep them separate. In the wild, the momma would keep them away from the older members of the flock until they are old enough to run from the big hens (3-5 weeks). Good luck!

 

[DillardHome]

Quote:
When she first went broody she only had two eggs under her, and in the next day or two I was wondering why the other hens egg count had dropped. Well I looked under the broody hen and her two eggs had turned into nine. So all the eggs are not just hers. But I left the eggs since I wasn't sure how far they had started to develop. Even now I will see another hen sitting on the nest. Everyday, I have to check her nest even if she's on it for new eggs that others have laid. I had marked the nine eggs so I know which ones to pull out daily. Sometimes another hen will be sitting on her nest and I can tell she is not happy but she just ends up going to the next nest box and waiting there for the other hen to leave. But she has been the one sitting on the nest the most, the other ( I believe just 2 others) seem to jump on when she is eating, drinking, dust bathing or pooing.
Why do you ask????

 

[chicks4kids]

Well I asked because I was concerned of partially developed embryos. If they start hatching and you have eggs that are 3 or more days behind in incubation, she may just get up off that nest, and those eggs would be left there. Since you hadn't isolated her, that is a big concern. I'm glad to hear that you marked the eggs and kept removing the newly laid ones.

 

[DillardHome]

Quote:
So should I go ahead and take her and the eggs out? Will she stay on the remaining eggs after some have hatched since she will be isolated?? (Did that make sense..?)

 

[emjay]

I put my broody hens in dog kennels/crates when they are committed to their eggs.
I did an experiment with the last broody hen,
she was sitting on 5 eggs in the nest box, the next day she had moved and sat on 4 eggs that were laid that day, I had 4 collected in a carton in the house, that I was going to put under her when I moved her to the kennel . I had planned on collecting more, but being that she had been sitting on 5, I didn't want to waste them, nor did I want to waste the 4 she had moved to.
SO, I put her in the kennel with all the eggs (not all standard size, some bantam too), and my SL hen is now with a BLR roo and I wanted to hatch one of those, she wouldn't give me an egg, so the night I had moved Lily to her kennel the SLW laid an egg, so I thought, what the heck. I put the egg in front of her, she rolled it under.

the eggs hatched Easter weekend, of the 14, 11 hatched. and the SLW egg hatched - which is amazing considering that egg was put in on day 3 of collecting for the hen to set.
so there was a 3 day difference between all eggs and hatch rate was very very good.
I wouldn't do it again, probably, I only did it because the hen moved off of 5 eggs to the nest of 4 and I didn't want to waste 9 eggs, it was a rushed decision, and it paid off.
they are also super cute.

the hen stayed sitting for those eggs to hatch, she is eating , drinking, and I let her out for a dust bath today. tonite she is moved to the broody pen, triple the room she has now.

 

[chicks4kids]

You should move her before day 18-that is considered lockdown to the ones who incubate. I wouldn't suggest moving the eggs after that. This is the time when the chicks are getting into position to hatch. And you should be pretty close to day 18 now. If you're already there, just find some chicken wire and jerry-rig a make shift pen to keep her isolated from the rest-just make sure she has food and water. A cat carrier works too. I currently have a broody out in the garage in a car carrier with a make shift pen out of baby gates in front of the carrier door for her to get off the nest eat, drink, and poo.

She may sit on the late hatchers for awhile, but each hen is different. But don't worry, she's not gonna pop up off of the nest once the first one hatches

Good luck!

 

[DillardHome]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!