Questions on hatching chicks from broody hen:

[blueheaven]

I have a hen that went broody around April 10...I have placed other eggs under her for a total of 8. Not sure if they are fertile or not. Have not candled them. They should all hatch within a few days of each other.

I have her in the same coop as other hens and 1 rooster. Will probably set up an area just for her and the chicks (block an area). However, the nest box is pretty high off the ground.

1. Will the chicks just say under her until the others hatch?
2. Will they try to get out of the nest and could fall to the ground of the coop?
3. First time to hatch chicks. Hen insisted on brooding. Any suggestions....!

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Lollipop]

I have a hen that went broody around April 10...I have placed other eggs under her for a total of 8. Not sure if they are fertile or not. Have not candled them. They should all hatch within a few days of each other.

I have her in the same coop as other hens and 1 rooster. Will probably set up an area just for her and the chicks (block an area). However, the nest box is pretty high off the ground.

1. Will the chicks just say under her until the others hatch?
2. Will they try to get out of the nest and could fall to the ground of the coop?
3. First time to hatch chicks. Hen insisted on brooding. Any suggestions....!

Thanks in advance for any help!

The hen will stay on the nest only for about 1 full day after the first chicks hatch, then she will leave any unhatched eggs and take her chicks out for a drink and something to eat. Moving her to a private smaller pen with a floor level nest is a good move at this point, but you must do it at night and with as little stress to her as possible. Be sure to have everything set up and move the eggs just before moving the hen. It's always a crap shoot to move a broody, but with luck, it can be done. Here's a great article on broodies. Good luck........Pop

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. Will the chicks just say under her until the others hatch?
I’ve had a broody stay on the nest for a couple of days, but most do like Pop said, wait about a day. Any eggs that have not hatched are just abandoned. That’s why I always start all the eggs I want her to hatch at the same time and mark them so I know which those are.

2. Will they try to get out of the nest and could fall to the ground of the coop?
You are dealing with living animals, I have no idea what you mean by pretty high, and I have no idea what your nest looks like. The chicks will move around, sometimes popping out from under Mama. Since they are living animals, anything can happen. If you have a good lip on the nest, the odds of one falling are fairly thin, but it is possible. I can’t give you any guarantees about that, but I don’t worry about it in my nests. I have a pretty good lip on the nests.

I’ve seen a broody get chicks out of a 10’ high hay loft. Mama says jump and they do. I agree a nest near the ground is a good thing, but I don’t have a high fear factor about Mama being able to get the chicks to the ground. If one does accidentally fall out it cannot get back up, but frankly I’ve never seen that happen.

Not a whole lot of help, I know. I’m set up where I can wait until Mama decides to bring them off. If I move a broody it is before I give her eggs, not after she has started the incubation process. I have a lot of room, so I let my broodies raise them with the flock. We all have different situations.

 

[California_chickie]

Definitely separate her from the others! I have had mixed results with broodies, and if shes a first time mom, she doesn't really know what to do-- instinct kicks in, but you don't always get the results you want! Everyone has different experiences, but all my silkies give up & leave the eggs after a couple days from the first hatch. Even if there are some pips going on. I have learned to set up an extra bator just in case. I have also begun taking the chicks from her as they hatch (especially if it's a staggered hatch) so she'll stick around longer. It's kind of a pain to go back n forth but I have decreased my mortality rate by using this method & it's always nice to have a little brooder set up just in case anyways.
And personally I wouldn't risk having the nesting box any higher off the ground. The chicks could easily wiggle out from underneath her and fall. Game over.

 

[blueheaven]

thanks for all the info.
only a few more days.

if mama goes off the nest with some hatched chix...will another sit on the others? i have one that is wanting to sit, but i am not letting her.

 

[Lollipop]

thanks for all the info.
only a few more days.

if mama goes off the nest with some hatched chix...will another sit on the others? i have one that is wanting to sit, but i am not letting her.

It's possible, but timing is critical. Not something you can rely on with chickens.........Pop

 

[Ridgerunner]

I sure agree with Pop that you cannot depend on chickens.

I don't understand what you mean by another one is wanting to set but you won't let her. If you let her set on a different nest with fake eggs, you can transfer unhatched eggs to her when the first hen abandons the nest with the chicks. There is no guarantee that thew new hen will accept the chicks she hatches, but what have you lost if you try?

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I just had 3 eggs hatch out under a broody last week. I did initially give them a little area in the coop, but by now they don't need the separation. Can't speak to the eggs waiting under Momma, but can address the high nest. Mine is only about a foot off the ground, so I kinda piled up some wood chips to make a ramp. However, I found that this didn't work and did put in little steps for them. This worked very well. They could go down and eat, drink and poo and then easily make it back up into the nest. Currently am battling this issue with the coop as the pop door is pretty high off the ground. The little ones grow fast, though! Good luck!

 

[blueheaven]

yeah...one has hatched. went to check on others, still not hatched. however, when i moved her butt up to check on hatchings...she started pecking the little one.
what do i do while i let her sit on the other few. they should hatch (if they are going to) today or tomorrow.