New Chicks & Broody Hen, Help Due tomorrow!! !!

[Chicks & Calves]

My broody hen has been sittin on her eggs for almost 21 days. The chicks are due between October 10-October 11. I also have several questions, thankyall!

#1: My broody bantam, Hazy, is the smallest chicken in the flock. All five of the flock sleep in one coop, including Hazy. She sits on her eggs in a box I made(its not completely protected from the other chickens. Just enough to keep out the wind) She has six eggs shes sittin on. I was wondering if I should move her? Im afraid when the chicks hatch, I'll be at school, and I wont be able to help Hazy, and keep the other chickens away from her. I have access to another, smaller coop, big enough for her and her brood.(the flock includes 2 bantam roosters, 1 bantam hen, and 1 full size standard rhode island red). So, should I move her and her brood to the other coop? Thankyou!

#2 When the chicks do hatch, should I take them away and raise them myself, or let her do everything? Again, I am afraid for the chicks' lives becuase of the other chickens. Hazy is, again, the smallest flock member, and I dont know if she can do it with six chicks.

#3 Also, Winter is coming. Dreadfully......anyway, I was wondering what the best bedding was for chickens in the winter? Or should I use hay, or both? Also, my two roosters have very large combs and waddles, is there anything I can do to protect those from getting frostbitten? I live in the South, but Id like to be extra prepared.

Thankyou so much for answering these, it would mean the world

 

[kerrysmommy]

i take my chicks away and raise them myself that way they are more people friendly and if you want you can move her

 

[Chicks & Calves]

Thankyou so much! Time to set up the brooder

 

[Bookworm chick]

You say Hazy is the smallest, but where is she in the pecking order? I've always let my bantam broodies raise their chicks but have found that if the broody is at the bottom of the pecking order it can be a little tougher to defend her chicks. Hazy has sort of been "absent" for the past 3 weeks while she's been setting and the others might see her as an intruder and want to challenge her. The broody will protect them to the best of her ability, some are just more fierce than others. But, they ARE fierce. Sort of like lambs becoming lions. If the other coop is empty, you could move her there, but it would be best if you waited for them to hatch first. If you moved her and the eggs, there's a chance she might not stay on the eggs in a strange coop. Had a thought . . . the box that she's setting in, could you pick it up without disturbing her and move it to the other coop? It's chancy but if you did it after dark, she might not realize she'd been moved.

 

[Chicks & Calves]

Come to think of it, I believe shes "second in comand" .Before she went broody, she would always give the other hens a peck on the neck, I believe to show shes in charge. I mean she would just be walkin around, and a hen randomly walk by her,and shed give it a peck.

I believe I'll move the box with her in it, into the other coop tonight. But most definately I think I'll take care of the chicks after they hatch.
Thankyou so so much for this valuable info!!!!

 

[KWAK]

I would let her raise a few of them, she just wasted 3 weeks of her life! haha I mean come on at least give her 3!

 

[Chicks & Calves]

see, I was thinking of that, but the father is an Old English Game, and Hazy is just a beautiful hen. I would LOVE to show them. And to show them, they have to be used to being handled. You have to start when their chicks for them to get used to being handled though. Also, Id like for them to be people friendly. Although, I will let Hazy see them from time to time.Thankyou though for your opinion

 

[AV Brahmas]

Congrats! Anytime you leave chicks with hen there is risk...but a risk worth taking unless these are valuable show birds. If you decide to do this, leave her where she is and check the clutch a couple times a day. When they start to hatch close them into the box somehow so the chicks do not get in with the others. Even if she protects them it can cause damage (fighting, etc). Once they are mostly hatched, move the whole lot to the other coop and leave them there. She will keep them warm and show them how to eat. Get some meal worms and hand feed them at about 2-3 days on. They will get plenty tame this way. Another choice....move the whole works now. Make sure she is setting and, if not, move it back. Most will set....some will not. Just keep the other birds away from hen and chicks for a while until they get big enough to get out of harms way. You will really enjoy your hen and chicks together. One of natures beautiful sights.

I have on occasion scoffed at those who want their chickens to "love" them. I don't believe they actually do love us even though I have had some astonishingly friendly chickens. SOME roosters, however, actually do love a specific hen, in their way. An OE rooster I had once took a tremendous liking to a brown red hen and stayed close to her for many years. When she died he did not mourn her but he did take a new mate. He selected another BR hen from a flock of mixed birds and stayed with her until he died at 10 years old.

Hens also love their chicks, but I will let you find that out for yourself.

We use wood chips on the floor. Hay or straw can get matted and really nasty in winter. It is a pain to remove and smells terrible. Wood chips we just keep adding fresh and then put the whole bit in the shrubbery come Spring.

 

[leghornlover@123]

Nobody has asked but Im gonna ask now tell us when they hatch and put put pictures up!

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/,,) \\ "pipping aint easy"- Me
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[Chicks & Calves]

I will post pictures as soon as I can!!

And I believe I'lll let some stay with her, Ive always adored a mother and her chicks. I'll leave her in the original coop with her in her box, and when the chicks hatch I'll move her into the littler coop away from the other chickens. There is still one very serious problem: what if they hatch while I'm at school? Could I close the coop door with her and her chicks in there just in case,and put food and water for her in there? Thankyou!!