Surprise chicks-- what the @#$%^ do I do NOW?

[Shogun99]

Personally I think you're lucky, but if you have one of those kiddie pools, you can use that and put the rest of the babies and the broody hen in your garage, shed, or some covered space. Just don't leave them to the elements quite yet ok?

Best of luck!

 

[cactus-hen]

I would candle the eggs, get rid of the bad ones and let momma raise the rest. I would put the crate in the run and build a small enclosed run around it for now. My hen and chicks go out with the rest of the flock at about three weeks when the babies are fully feathered. My run is 42' x 42' and the chickens free range on about an acre of heavily vegetated desert. In the run, I have 3 4x8 panels of plastic lattice set on pier blocks. I use the lattice panels that are closely spaced. The babies can get under them to hide from the bigger hens when needed. The adults can get under the lattice but only by hunching down. They can't run while under them. The chicks learn quite quickly to stay away from the others. By the time the chicks can no longer run under the lattice, they are big enough to take care of themselves. Oh, and by the way. I have a hatchery hen that has gone broody three times this year. She weans her chicks at about 6 - 8 weeks, lays 10 - 12 eggs and then goes broody again. She's on her third set of eggs. I've tried to get her to not be broody (all the tricks) but she refuses to stop. I just let her do her thing now. Good luck on your new family.

 

[maplesky7]

so your lattice panels are laying down horizontal on top of blocks?

i'm trying to get a mental picture...in case my broody br from mcmurray ever gets the chance to mother, given i have a new rooster now.

me,
g


------------------------------
= = = =


something like the above?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

If those chicks are a couple of days old or older then those remaining eggs probably won't hatch under the Mama. She'll be busy taking her kiddos out for food & drink and won't stay on the nest as much any more. Even if a chick did hatch now, it would be smaller/younger and at a disadvantage with the other chicks.

If you candle them & find some still viable, you could still try to hatch them in a brooder, maybe Mama would adopt them later, maybe not.

I'd leave the chicks with the Mama to tend, she should do the best job of caring for them. Make her a separate pen or not, however much work you're willing/able to do on their behalf.

Many laying breeds have had broodiness bred out of most of them, but there is always some diversity in any population. This hen sounds like she knows what she's doing, to have contrived a way to make a nest & hatch chicks all on her own. Many, many folks would be thrilled to have those qualities in their hens.

Count your blessings!

 

[cactus-hen]

The pier blocks are eight inches high and act as "table legs"and the lattice is laid on top like a table. The pier blocks have brackets on them so I can firmly attach the lattice.

 

[cactus-hen]

G,
Sorry, didn't see the drawing. Yes just like that. I use six blocks.
K

 

[mgibbzzz]

I love the idea of using the lattice! I have some that I have kept in case I need to replace what is around my deck bottom. My dh keeps saying we should throw it out, now I guess I will use it for my chicks. Thanks! I would also like to know what kind of hen you have. I got 6 different breeds from a hatchery in Feb. also and wondered if they would go broody and hatch me some chicks yet. Now my head is spinning....


DMK Ranch

 

[cactus-hen]

I don't know what breed she is. She's 2/3 the size of my barred rock, white with sparsly scattered black speckles, and brownish yellow legs. When I can figure ou how to post pictures, I will show you.

 

[sBrickmanHouse]

Thanks for all the congrats and well wishes-- the chicks are VERY cute! Even though we got our batch just in February, you almost forget how tiny and cute they are! Interestingly, too, they all look completely different. Mama's a White Rock, and Papa's an Easter Egger, so we have a whole rainbow of chicks.

Well, it looks like the hen is a very good mama-- the five chicks seem to be happy, healthy and active, and she's very protective. They're eating and drinking, and generally being very busy little things. She's abandoned the eggs, so we removed them. We are perfectly fine with our little five, and we're happy to have them as additions to our little flock-- we were just shocked, is all!

So other than starter food, water, and mama, they're fine? Can the hen eat the starter food, or should I give her something else? We're not really set up to partition her and the chicks off outside, so they'll have to stay inside in the crate, for now. We'll have to rig up something in the next couple of weeks as they get bigger-- I remember how quickly the initial batch outgrew the box we were brooding them in! I think CactusHen's lattice idea may work for us, I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Anyway, here are some pics of our girl and her new brood. They're not great, because the chicks never stand still!

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2547837770101853356DsjPsp?vhost=good-times

 

[monarc23]

Mama should be fine eating chick starter I dont see why not

If you are concerned however, offer her some of her normal feed in your hand (if she's fine taking it that way).

Congrats by the way!!

I've had hens go broody that are artificially hatched.

they were cochins