New mama questions...

[amgreen1980]

I am SOOO new to chickens and especially to broody hens hatching. So, we just had our first chick hatch sometimes in the last 12 hours. Mama is in the coop, in a wire dog crate and it is pretty cool out. High 50ish and low 27. I have a heavy blanket over her cage. Will this be enough? I do NOT need to provide light, correct? I would like things to be as natural as possible. What is the best age to let them out of the cage with mama and let her guide them? Will she keep them from going outside when it is so cool out? Thanks for any help!

 

[amgreen1980]

ALSO- Once the chicks are all hatched, what should I do about letting her out to go potty? Leave the cage open partially? Or will the babies get out? I want to be the best chicken mama I can be, but this basic stuff just isn't written down anywhere I can find..

 

[Czech's_chicks]

Even though YOU are new to the chicken world, you chicken isn't

She will keep the babies warm, warm, warm. Just keep a doting eye out on them and make sure they have clean food and water.

I just had a sizzle hatch 4 eggs and moved them to a very secure pen. She didn't want anything to do with the nest box I had in there. It's gone.

Congratulations and have fun watching them grow!

 

[Czech's_chicks]

Quote:
Cage? How big? Otherwise I leave mine in their pens because other chickens, ducks, hawks, etc may harm them.

 

[amgreen1980]

Thanks

I was seriously not this nervous/worried when I had my own children! LOL

 

[amgreen1980]

She is in a dog crate, inside the 8x8 chicken coop...should I leave the dog crate door open a bit so she can come out if she needs to? The other chickens pretty much only come in to lay throughout the day. Or, is she ok to be caged in for a while? What do you do about mama going potty? Does she just go in the brooder cage/pen?

Czech's_chicks :

Quote:
Cage? How big? Otherwise I leave mine in their pens because other chickens, ducks, hawks, etc may harm them.​

 

[calicokat]

We left our momma hen in the same place for about two days, that's when she got up off the nest and walked around her little nest box. I'd kept water close up so she could sip from the nest and show the babies too. At that point, we pitched the two remaining eggs and moved her with the babies to a rabbit hutch. The stayed there for about 2 weeks, then we started letting them out of the hutch during the day in the chicken run, with all the other birdies free ranging -- so momma and babies were alone and protected. I think at about 4 weeks we opened the door to the run so momma and babies were free ranging with the others.

At that point, momma would protect the babies just fine. And she suprised us by getting all the babies up on the roosting perch too in time for lights out! We had been tucking them back into the rabbit hutch at night - but after they made it to the perch, we just let them sleep with everyone.

Momma kept them warm enough and safe too. Have fun with your babies, hope it goes smoothly, and don't forget to take pictures! If you think your KIDS grew fast, wait till you see how quickly these little ones sprout up!!