so my hen has brooded some eggs and they have hatched!

[cutlass1972]

My question is do you more experienced chicken people think they can all live in the nest box for a while?

Let me add that this nest box is pretty humongous. It is about 26" wide, 32" deep and tapers from the entrance 20" to the back 12". I have a 10" tall "thresh hold" at the entrance of the nest box to keep hens from rolling eggs and wood shavings out. I would staple some chicken wire over the entrance until they are out to keep other hens out and chicks in.

My intentions are to let momma raise them in the box until they are old enough to be introduced to the flock.

there are 8 chicks and momma (which is a very little alstralorp hen that could almost pass for a banty).

here are a couple of pics

It is the box on the far right, when I made them the boxs ended up odd between the centers of the joysts, so that box ended up a good deal bigger than the others.

 

[sourland]

You can start them in that box, but they will rapidly outgrow it.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
And that`s the truth. You have about 2 weeks.........Pop

 

[cutlass1972]

well, I am debating just going and removing them and putting them in my usual brooder (8'x3'x3' steel stock tank with screen top and brooder lamps). I just wanted to leave them with mom for a while. Are there any benefits to doing so?

 

[MareeZoCool]

They look happy and cozy in their home nest I'd guess she'll let you know when she's ready to get the kids out to the big world. My hen started pacing near her door, then rushed out and called her babes out at 1 week old. So cute!

 

[cutlass1972]

I have also been considering just leaving them be. there is an 8" or so threshold that they cannot hop over for now but mom can if she needs or wants to. I have been thinking that maybe by the time they can make it over that they will be alright around the others (with moms supervision).

Are my thoughts on this completely wrong? I would hate for one of the other hens to kill them.

Should I just leave them for a while then take them out and put them in my brooder?

 

[kathyinmo]

Is there any way you could make a little make-shift area for them? Say, a small doghouse or something? I would think that the mama would need to get out and stretch her legs, dust bathe, and move around. I dunno, I could be way off, that is just my thoughts. Good luck!

 

[MareeZoCool]

CONGRATS! Yes, your hen & her chicks will be fine for a week or two. Then momma hen will want to get out to excercise and teach her brood how to be a big chicken. She'll show them how to do the chicken scratch-dance, hunt & peck, then RUN when danger is near. By 4 weeks, those biddies will surprise you.

GOOD LUCK, HOPE YOU ENJOY !

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

My momma hens take their babies out to the general population when they are just a few days old.
I move a broody hen and her eggs into a dog crate on the coop floor to hatch. I fence off the area from the other chickens and roosters.
When she takes them off the nest...I remove the fence. The hen and chicks will continue to roost in there at night anywhere from a few months, to about seven weeks old.
The hens will take them out the first time usually within 24 hours of the last chick hatching.
My caged roosters virtually ignore the chicks who move freely in and out of their pens through the 2 x 4 welded wire, and the mother protects them from any approaching free ranging chickens.

 

[Chickenmaven]

You could put mama & babies in the brooder, just have a lid on it.
Cute photos.