paxfarms
Songster
- Aug 7, 2018
- 90
- 123
- 111
I currently have two broody hens that are setting on a total of 12 eggs between them. They are set to hatch this upcoming Saturday.
The last time I had a broody, I moved her and her broody sister to a separate coop and, when I did, the broody sister immediately broke and refused to return to her eggs. For this reason, I have allowed the girls to brood inside the main coop to see how it goes this time.
I gave them their eggs at the same time. Their eggs are marked and I remove any new eggs that have been laid in the nest boxes twice a day. Candling on Days 7 and 14 showed that every egg is developing and they all appear to be doing well.
With hatch day quickly approaching, I'm trying to get a plan on what to do with the girls once the chicks hatch.
My main concern with leaving them in the main coop is that the coop is raised about 4 feet off the ground. If the chicks fall from there, they will be, at best, severely injured, but it would likely kill them.
My main concern with moving them is that I will have to integrate the chicks back into the main flock once they are old enough, which means waiting until they are the same size as the other chickens and I really don't want to have to keep them in a separate coop that long.
Is there a way to leave the chicks in the main coop safely, without worrying about them falling? Or is it completely necessary that I move them once they hatch?
The last time I had a broody, I moved her and her broody sister to a separate coop and, when I did, the broody sister immediately broke and refused to return to her eggs. For this reason, I have allowed the girls to brood inside the main coop to see how it goes this time.
I gave them their eggs at the same time. Their eggs are marked and I remove any new eggs that have been laid in the nest boxes twice a day. Candling on Days 7 and 14 showed that every egg is developing and they all appear to be doing well.
With hatch day quickly approaching, I'm trying to get a plan on what to do with the girls once the chicks hatch.
My main concern with leaving them in the main coop is that the coop is raised about 4 feet off the ground. If the chicks fall from there, they will be, at best, severely injured, but it would likely kill them.
My main concern with moving them is that I will have to integrate the chicks back into the main flock once they are old enough, which means waiting until they are the same size as the other chickens and I really don't want to have to keep them in a separate coop that long.
Is there a way to leave the chicks in the main coop safely, without worrying about them falling? Or is it completely necessary that I move them once they hatch?