Possible hatchlings?? Help! Advice?!

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

One pipped today! A silkie!

Awesome!!!!

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

That setup looks great! A good size for chicks and mom. Only problem is see, is that you are it wrapped in chicken wire. Predators such as raccoons, coyotes, etc, will be able to tear through chicken wire easily. They wont be able to get into the pen because its made of heavy steel, but coons will grab adult chickens and try to pull them through the wire killing them. They will be able to pull chicks through that wire though.
Don't want to worry you, but its definitly soemthgin to keep in mind. With my dog kennel chick setups, I wrap the inside in chicken wire, then wrap another layer of hardware cloth or welded wire over the top of that to keep chicks in, and predators out.

Chicks will be perfectly fine on chick starter, and mom will not need OS or Layer feed since she sent be laying for multiple months while she's raising the chicks. Mom and babies can all eat chick starter.
I wouldn't worry about DE, or other dusts. Unless you have a current lice or mite issue, theres no need. DE is ineffective against mites or lice anyway, you wold need Permethrin dust for that.
Happy hatching keep us posted!

Thanks so much. And I am grateful for any and all advice! It was being used as a sick ward/grow out/time out prior to needing a “maternity ward”. I was focused on getting the inside set up today so I could move both momma’s & eggs before lockdown begins tomorrow.

I have had hardware cloth to put around it but just haven’t gotten to it. Per your advice, I will start wrapping it tomorrow.

Here is the final set up with momma’s & eggs inside!

Please let me know if anything should be removed, moved, added etc. I will get to work on the hardware cloth tomorrow

BTW is it normal to have to ‘teach’ the momma’s to go to the new nesting box? I showed them their new “rooms” with eggs and kept the pads they were using. I thought they wanted out to stretch their legs etc, but both immediately went back to their original nesting boxes!! So I put them both back in their rooms and shut the curtains.

 

[Weeg]

Thanks so much. And I am grateful for any and all advice! It was being used as a sick ward/grow out/time out prior to needing a “maternity ward”. I was focused on getting the inside set up today so I could move both momma’s & eggs before lockdown begins tomorrow.

I have had hardware cloth to put around it but just haven’t gotten to it. Per your advice, I will start wrapping it tomorrow.

Here is the final set up with momma’s & eggs inside!

Please let me know if anything should be removed, moved, added etc. I will get to work on the hardware cloth tomorrow

BTW is it normal to have to ‘teach’ the momma’s to go to the new nesting box? I showed them their new “rooms” with eggs and kept the pads they were using. I thought they wanted out to stretch their legs etc, but both immediately went back to their original nesting boxes!! So I put them both back in their rooms and shut the curtains.

Looks awesome! I don't usually move mine until everyone hatches for the fear they will reject the new location. Looks like your Silkie hen has figured it out, but if it takes to long for the GLW momma to approve of the new location, than allow her to move back to her old nest, place her eggs under her, and move her again when chicks hatch.
This has worked better for me in the past.
If I do have to move mommas while eggs are unhatched, I always move them at night. They are usually pretty drowsy at night, and don't fully understand what's happening. Then go to sleep, and figure that if they woke up there in the morning, they must have been there the whole time.

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

@Weeg thats too funny… it was getting to be dusk/twilight so I just put a towel over the front… kinda like a curtain. Once I did that, she seems fine. Fingers crossed all goes well in the morning.
I did remove the curtain once it got dark just so it wasn’t too hot… and she was happily back on her nest!

 

[Weeg]

@Weeg thats too funny… it was getting to be dusk/twilight so I just put a towel over the front… kinda like a curtain. Once I did that, she seems fine. Fingers crossed all goes well in the morning.
I did remove the curtain once it got dark just so it wasn’t too hot…

Perfect! Maybe she just needed a little more seclusion in her new area, maybe blocking off part of the opening with cardboard would help, leaving a chicken sized door over the opposite side of the nest. You can remove this once chicks hatch since she will likely be settled in by then.

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

Perfect! Maybe she just needed a little more seclusion in her new area, maybe blocking off part of the opening with cardboard would help, leaving a chicken sized door over the opposite side of the nest. You can remove this once chicks hatch since she will likely be settled in by then.

Trick seemed to have worked! Opened my coops this morning and checked on the ladies in the maternity ward… she was laying on her nest!
I did leave her side covered so she has privacy. Other than that, they were good!
T-4 days!

 

[Weeg]

Trick seemed to have worked! Opened my coops this morning and checked on the ladies in the maternity ward… she was laying on her nest!
I did leave her side covered so she has privacy. Other than that, they were good!
T-4 days!

Yay! Success! Congratulations! I bet your very excited.
Keep close tabs on them once babies hatch. I've seen a couple threads were mommas' get protective and attack other hens chicks if they get to close. Acting as if the chick is an intruder. In other threads things work out just fine, just something to keep an eye on.
You can always divide that run in half with T-posts, chicken wire and some kind of "door". Thats what I did in my chicken tractor for an introduction stage with some bantams. I had step in posts though so that made moving it easier.
I'm so excited for you!!! Babies are the best!

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

Yay! Success! Congratulations! I bet your very excited.
Keep close tabs on them once babies hatch. I've seen a couple threads were mommas' get protective and attack other hens chicks if they get to close. Acting as if the chick is an intruder. In other threads things work out just fine, just something to keep an eye on.
You can always divide that run in half with T-posts, chicken wire and some kind of "door". Thats what I did in my chicken tractor for an introduction stage with some bantams. I had step in posts though so that made moving it easier.
I'm so excited for you!!! Babies are the best!

Thank you. I was trying to figure out how to separate it when I was setting up yesterday because of reading about the same thing. However I couldn’t really find a safe way for the hens/chicks or access for me to the back half with what I have here on hand. I do have hardware cloth, chicken wire and spare bits of lumber. The issue I was having was keeping it from potentially falling due to wind or something bumping into it.

And yes we are so excited! In fact I’m not sure who is more egg-cited… me or my kids! it’s our fist time with fertilized eggs and first time hatching! Ive always started with week old chicks.

the last time I candled… I think all 5 were still viable. 1 for sure is. I’m not great at candling yet and didn’t want to mess with the eggs too much. They looked dark with an air sac, but didn’t see a blood line that I could tell.

 

[Weeg]

Thank you. I was trying to figure out how to separate it when I was setting up yesterday because of reading about the same thing. However I couldn’t really find a safe way for the hens/chicks or access for me to the back half with what I have here on hand. I do have hardware cloth, chicken wire and spare bits of lumber. The issue I was having was keeping it from potentially falling due to wind or something bumping into it.

And yes we are so excited! In fact I’m not sure who is more egg-cited… me or my kids! it’s our fist time with fertilized eggs and first time hatching! Ive always started with week old chicks.

the last time I candled… I think all 5 were still viable. 1 for sure is. I’m not great at candling yet and didn’t want to mess with the eggs too much. They looked dark with an air sac, but didn’t see a blood line that I could tell.

Yay! Congrats! You'll know in a few days if you were right, as long as they didn't stink or leak, it never hurts to leave them even if you aren't sure.

It could be totally fine, the hens have tow separate spaces were they can't see each other or babies can't bother opposite hens. Just something to watch and make a plan B for just in case. I can't wait until babies hatch! It really is the best feeling.

 

[Sassy-ChikN Mom]

Yay! Congrats! You'll know in a few days if you were right, as long as they didn't stink or leak, it never hurts to leave them even if you aren't sure.

It could be totally fine, the hens have tow separate spaces were they can't see each other or babies can't bother opposite hens. Just something to watch and make a plan B for just in case. I can't wait until babies hatch! It really is the best feeling.

I’m so glad I found this group! Honestly you, @Weeg @Chicken poppy amd so many others have been incredibly helpful with everything!

I will definitely update y’all in the next couple days when we start pipping!