Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chicken Chat]

Cute pic Rachel! Congratulations.

Here's a question for those of you that are raising with your flock. Do your hens stay in the coop for awhile with the babies or does momma take them outside right away? I was looking at my chicken door yesterday and I'm thinking the chicks will not be able to get back inside the coop. The chickens step up into the coop and my little bantam chicks are so tiny, I don't think they will be able to jump it. I've never raised babies outside before, they've always been bigger when I introduced them to the flock. Right now, I have momma and baby behind some fencing to give her, the baby and the rest of the flock a chance to get used to things with the baby safe. I'm trying to figure out how quickly I need to get these things done.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Mine free-range. Mine could handle a mighty jump when they were just a week old including the tiny bantam. There is about a 10" jump up into my coop. My broody mama sticks pretty close to the coop and away from the flock with her brood even now that they are almost 5 weeks old. Biggest hassle is for my other chickens because broody mama won't let any of them into the coop if the family is near the door!

 

[slurrywidow]

Congrats Rachel! I love reading your posts, your excitement is catching.

And I'll second what Miss Lydia said about the real fun being a spectator to Mama and the chicks exploring the world.

Here was yesterday's outing at my house. The chicks look so little compared to Mona.

Nothing like a good dust bath on a warm fall day. The little ones were getting more of a bath than they bargained for!

 

[Chicken Chat]

Thanks for the info BarnGoddess. It helps.

slurrywidow, love the pics of mom and babies! Extra fuzzy babies, love it.

 

[slurrywidow]

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Mine free-range. Mine could handle a mighty jump when they were just a week old including the tiny bantam. There is about a 10" jump up into my coop. My broody mama sticks pretty close to the coop and away from the flock with her brood even now that they are almost 5 weeks old. Biggest hassle is for my other chickens because broody mama won't let any of them into the coop if the family is near the door!

Thanks for asking this question. I'm really struggling with it too. The chicks are a week-ish now and Mona has only had them out twice. I open up the crate door and SHE will fly out but she goes so fast the babies just holler instead of following. I've done the "no-no" both times and interfered by scooping babies outside and then they all are happy. I'm reluctant to leave the crate door open all day because the other hens just rush inside to eat the chick food. This creates a mess because it traps Mona and the babies at the back of the crate. I wish Mona was more like BarnGoddess's Momma hen but she's not proving to be all that protective. Any advice or suggestions? The poor things can't stay locked up all the time. And it doesn't feel right to be the one escorting them in and out.

Thanks Chicken Chat, I love the fluffy babies too!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

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They are Black Australorps, Stony. And she was about 26 hours old when this pic was taken.
Congrats to you, as well!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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More serious cuteness!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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can you make a ramp for them to use till big enough to get up the steps?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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what precious pics, those dust bathes can be dangerous, I saw mama kick one of her chicks across the yard, they learn real quick to stay out of her way.

 

[stonykill]

Rachel'sFlock :

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They are Black Australorps, Stony. And she was about 26 hours old when this pic was taken.
Congrats to you, as well!

I figured they were, but as tiny little babies they look like Sumatra's.​