Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[TeaChick]

A second one hatched on thursday but did not make it. We bougth 4 baby chicks on Tuesday and just today she gave up on the other eggs. One was completly formed, the other half way.
My hen is happy with 5 chicks. Hope at least two are hens.

Hoping for the best for you and her and them!!! =)
Post pics if you can. We can't get enough pics!!! especially of babies!!!!

 

[myby]

She is very protective, so this is the best i could do.

 

[fisherlady]

She is very protective, so this is the best i could do.

She is beautiful, and the chicks are adorable! I love the box set-up, it looks ideal for a broody and her little ones.

 

[ParadiseHens]

Aloha,
I am in a similar position with my boxes about 3 feet off of the ground. I am inclined not to move my hen and her eggs. I am concerned about the nest height after the chicks hatch. My hen has been sitting for about 4 days. This is my first experience. the laying boxes are about 3 feet off of the ground. We have a roo and 14 hens. I believe my brooder is a black breed (maybe a Australorp or Batam-Cochin??). I have seen her get off the nest once, and I marked the eggs (11 eggs). The boxes all have fronts to contain the nests that are about 4 inches high. We have about 16 boxes. the entire coop is about 10X 0 with multiple roosts and feed bowls.

The other hens and roo seem to be leaving her alone. I am hoping to be able to check her nest soon to see if there are any other eggs or if it needs to be cleaned. Should I move her off to check? I also have feed and water up near her, but I only saw her eat a couple of days ago. After reading on this site, I realized that all of her eggs have been in there for a different amount of time. Is this going to be a large problem?

After the hatch, how will the chicks get out of the nest? The walk around the lay boxes is about a foot wide and there is a central ramp to the ground. I was thinking about building a railing around the section the nest is in to make sure the chicks do not fall off. I do have a closed in small day coop in the larger coop that I can move the chicks and mama in if need. Am I unrealistic to think that the chicks and the rest of the flock could stay integrated the entire process?
I appreciate any advice anyone has to share.
Mahalo,

 

[myby]

Thanks. We call "maternity coops". My husband and i made the in a rush as two hens went broody the very same day last spring and one of my hens could not stand the other one. The door going to the outside was an after though as I want them to free range. I plan to add some "handles" so we can move them around the yard. This was was under the porch to protect from the snow.

 

[myby]

Paradise hens, I prefer to separate them so the hen and chicks are not bothered. Around week five of the chicks hatching, the mom is not caring for them and they are on their own. Then i put the hen back with the flock and the chicks have their own coop until they are ready. I also let the adult chickens free range with the chicks to start the integration, but i keep an eye on the adults. 1st one to be aggresive with the chicks, turns into dinner. .

 

[TeaChick]

Thanks. We call "maternity coops". My husband and i made the in a rush as two hens went broody the very same day last spring and one of my hens could not stand the other one. The door going to the outside was an after though as I want them to free range. I plan to add some "handles" so we can move them around the yard. This was was under the porch to protect from the snow.

I like your maternity coops.
I also like the idea of making them into maternity tractors (adding handles). =)

She is very protective, so this is the best i could do.

They're beautiful!!!

 

[TeaChick]

Paradise hens, I prefer to separate them so the hen and chicks are not bothered. Around week five of the chicks hatching, the mom is not caring for them and they are on their own. Then i put the hen back with the flock and the chicks have their own coop until they are ready. I also let the adult chickens free range with the chicks to start the integration, but i keep an eye on the adults. 1st one to be aggresive with the chicks, turns into dinner.

.

My flock is finally getting to the size where I can have that kind of policy.
I've needed all the eggs I could get out of my few hens not really laying like they should, but now that they're in a good laying pattern, I can. I just got rid of the only aggressive hen I had and things are so much more peaceful around here!!!
Unfortunately, I was incubating some of her eggs with the other; fortunately, none of them hatched.

Sorry.

 

[ParadiseHens]

Mahalo TeacChick~
Do you think separating them after they are hatched would work? I don't want to disturb Val and her nest unless I absolutely have to. If I do move them after hatching, how long do I leave them in the nest with Mom before I move them to the maternity coop?

 

[TeaChick]

Mahalo TeacChick~
Do you think separating them after they are hatched would work? I don't want to disturb Val and her nest unless I absolutely have to. If I do move them after hatching, how long do I leave them in the nest with Mom before I move them to the maternity coop?

I've never had a hen go broody. I have a Bantam Cochin Frizzle, so I expect her to go broody eventually.
I wouldn't know and I would ask on here myself.
Your nests are high up, right?
I, personally, would either move her (but wait until she's been sitting a bit longer, about half way through the brood???? IDK),
or if you could put a ramp down from there for the chicks, and I would put a rail on it, so they don't fall from so high up. But then, you'll have to clean the ramp about daily, I imagine.
If you want to build a maternity coop, then build it first, get it completely ready, then move her about halfway through the brood.