Oh no

[citychicks99]

I had two broody hens with a staggered hatch. Four of them hatched two days ago but the hens continued to sit in the nest so I separated one hen with the chicks in another pet carrier. I left everything open today but the hen went back into the nest box and abandoned the chicks! Did I do the right thing? Do I have to raise the chicks myself now? I was afraid they would get squished. When the hen came back she was frantically kicking the nest I think looking for the eggs and I think it was scaring the chicks. I brought them inside because I didn't know what to do. Should I try and have her raise them and move her back inside with them tonight?

Edit: I took one of the broody hens inside with the chicks. She seemed to calm down when she wasn't around her sister and the eggs. I have some blankets over the carrier to make them think it's night time. I'll remove it in an hour to make them think they woke up together again. It looks like I'll have to keep them separated from the other hen for a couple of days. It's weird the chicks didn't follow her when she came out of the carrier.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Working with a broody hen can sometimes be tricky. Sounds like what you decided to do was best. Since there was multiple broodies it can sometimes mess with the bonding of hen to chicks and chicks to hen. Keeping them separately and quiet for a bit should hopefully help. I would definitely give them a few days to get to know each other.

 

[citychicks99]

Working with a broody hen can sometimes be tricky. Sounds like what you decided to do was best. Since there was multiple broodies it can sometimes mess with the bonding of hen to chicks and chicks to hen. Keeping them separately and quiet for a bit should hopefully help. I would definitely give them a few days to get to know each other.

I think I heard chirping from the eggs so hopefully the other hen will get her own chicks soon and forget about the first batch.

I'm not sure how long mama #1 can stay cooped up. I tried to let her out to poop inside but she wouldn't come out when I left the carrier door open in the bathroom, so I thought I'd make a little enclosure outside but mama #2 heard them and came out and abandoned her eggs. The fencing was big enough for the chicks to squeeze out so they were playing with mama #2 and abandoned mama #1. It was such a disaster trying to sort things back out and get mama #2 back on her eggs. I thought I almost lost a chick too but found it hiding under the dog house because the poor thing was so scared. I forgot to lock mama #2 in the dog crate so I did that and it's big enough for her to get up and eat and drink so I'll just leave her in there for now. I created a different enclosure further away from the coop #2 is in, secured the fencing better so hopefully the chicks can't get out this time and I'll leave the door ajar tomorrow so hopefully she won't hear the chicks.

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[gimmie birdies]

I had given my hen some day old chicks, first night she squished one. I thought it was the next box being too small, so when I moved her to a separate bigger pen the next day found a second one squished. She loved her babies just was just a dumb mother. I took away the babies and and I am raising them in a brooder. I may give them back, maybe not. She had not been a mother before.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think I heard chirping from the eggs so hopefully the other hen will get her own chicks soon and forget about the first batch.

I'm not sure how long mama #1 can stay cooped up. I tried to let her out to poop inside but she wouldn't come out when I left the carrier door open in the bathroom, so I thought I'd make a little enclosure outside but mama #2 heard them and came out and abandoned her eggs. The fencing was big enough for the chicks to squeeze out so they were playing with mama #2 and abandoned mama #1. It was such a disaster trying to sort things back out and get mama #2 back on her eggs. I thought I almost lost a chick too but found it hiding under the dog house because the poor thing was so scared. I forgot to lock mama #2 in the dog crate so I did that and it's big enough for her to get up and eat and drink so I'll just leave her in there for now. I created a different enclosure further away from the coop #2 is in, secured the fencing better so hopefully the chicks can't get out this time and I'll leave the door ajar tomorrow so hopefully she won't hear the chicks.

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It might be ease to pull them and brood them yourself. Best case scenario is the rest hatch and both moms care for them.

 

[citychicks99]

It might be ease to pull them and brood them yourself. Best case scenario is the rest hatch and both moms care for them.

I considered brooding them yesterday until I realized I have no experience and I wouldn't be as good a mama hen so that would only be last resort.

I've been keeping mama #1 and the chicks together in an enclosure that I covered so the other hens can't bother them and I think they're having a good time.

My plan is to keep them in there for a week. If the other chicks hatch with mama #2 I might separate them too for a week just to make sure they're all well aquainted. I think by the time the youngest chicks are a week old I could let everyone play together again?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I generally keep a broody and her chicks separated for almost 2 weeks to give the chicks some time to gain strength and skill to avoid all the other chickens.

 

[citychicks99]

I generally keep a broody and her chicks separated for almost 2 weeks to give the chicks some time to gain strength and skill to avoid all the other chickens.

I thought hens don't take chicks that are older than a day?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I thought hens don't take chicks that are older than a day?

I meant I separate the broody hen with her chicks so she's spending her time bonding and caring for the chicks. Not fighting with other chickens. Sorry I didn't word that correctly.

 

[citychicks99]

I meant I separate the broody hen with her chicks so she's spending her time bonding and caring for the chicks. Not fighting with other chickens. Sorry I didn't word that correctly.

Ahh okay! Maybe I'll do two weeks instead of one then. These mama hens were hatched by their mama in October and I did keep them separated from everyone else for two to three weeks and that worked out well. It's just more challenging now that there's two sets of chicks and I don't have that much space.