New chicken Mama

[careybeau]

Hi! I am overrun with chickens!

I incubated 6 chickens (now teenagers running around my yard) plus I had 12 and now I got a surprise from one of my hens! She's been sitting on a clutch and yesterday I went up and they were hatching! I can't count all of them yet, but so far she has 3 yellow and 3 black ( all my chickens are RIR or Barred rocks). She's in a box about 3 feet off the ground. I've given her treats, water and feed but now what?! Should I move her? She seems happy enough and to be a good mama. The baby chicks are scratching around but i don't want them to fall out! Is there anything I should do? Thanks!

 

[careybeau]

I just went up there and there's 2 more out! So 8 and 2 other eggs pipping! This is addictive!

 

[gumpsgirl]

I have never had a broody, as my chickens are all still to young, but I would think you would need to get them all to the ground so the chicks don't fall out. I just look at the way that my chicks I just hatched are trying to jump to the top of the brooder and they aren't even a week old yet. It won't be long and yours are going to start jumping around. Wait until the eggs are done hatching and then I would move them to be on the safe side of things.

Congrats on all of your new little babies!

 

[ginasmarans]

Congrats to you and your broody. Is she caged alone? I would not do anything until she finishes her hatch. If she is with other chickens,you may have to watch and make sure her chicks don't get rambuctious and start exploring. They will most likely stay under her for a few days. The best hatch I have ever had was with my last hen. She hatched 9 chick from 9 eggs this week. I hardly bothered her while she was setting and by the time I knew she was hatching,she had hatched them all.

 

[careybeau]

Yes, she's the only one in there. It's actually a wooden box that we put up on a table for a chicken hutch. The hens would just lay their eggs in there. She's the only mama. The rest don't even go in the coop--they roam around our yard (much to my husband's dismay!). There's two that are pipping but she's not sitting on them. Is that okay?