Time to set up the cot and buy the pram - help please!

[PouleChick]

Help experienced chicken people - We are now at day 12 I feel like I'm at that 5 month pregnant point where you start feeling like you can get the nursery set up / buy your pram etc as you can see the end in sight

Mama chook is in her own little coop within a separate little run. I am going to run smaller wire fencing as the stuff that is there the chicks will be able to just walk through Here is a pic - please excuse the mess I was just trying to get her sorted out and had blocked off the original nest on the left after I moved her - is now all tidy with the waterer in the left hand nest area and the curtains up properly to stop the sun being too hot on her in the afternoons.

I have no idea what it will be like when the chicks arrive - so a few questions please!

• will mum keep them inside for a few days?
  
• Do I need to put the food and water in there with them (at the moment the food is outside and I put it away at night)?
  
• Keep the door closed or open it so mum can decide when she wants to go out / take them out?
  
• Should I put up a board maybe over where the inside door is so that mum can get out and the chicks can't?
  
• The wire front is about 1 inch wide holes - is this too big for newborn chicks, should I cover the front in hardcloth?
• Any other changes that you can see I need to make before they arrive?

Here is a close up of the tray she is in - is this OK or should I change it / remove it / do something that I have no idea about?????

I have a chick sized feeder and I think my small waterer will be OK (one of the bell variety that takes 1.5 litres) or do I still need to put pebbles in to stop risk of drowning? Also need to buy crumble food.
What does everyone think about medicated v not medicated chick feed?

Have I forgotten anything (romper suits, burp cloths, sheets )!??

Thanks in advance!

 

[orrpeople]

• will mum keep them inside for a few days? Yes, she will keep them with her until she is sure she has hatched out all of the viable eggs. But, if she's wanting to go longer than a couple of days, candle the eggs to see if they're still developing, etc.
• Do I need to put the food and water in there with them (at the moment the food is outside and I put it away at night)? Yes, there should be food and water up close where the chicks can access it without going up or down a ramp. It will be about 5 days to a week before they can navigate ramps. Generally, I like to put my Broodies at ground level, in a pet carrier or temporary box with their littles, so they can have easy access to feed, water, and nest.
  
• Keep the door closed or open it so mum can decide when she wants to go out / take them out? if you choose to keep her up, keep the door closed so the chicks don't fall out. Even with all of your hens urging voices, they won't be able to get back in (until they're older)
  
• Should I put up a board maybe over where the inside door is so that mum can get out and the chicks can't? No, keep them together. The chicks need 24-7 access to their mamma for warmth. They'll even get under her while she dirt bathes and make all kinds of "Mom, you just got dirt in my beak!" noises !
  
• The wire front is about 1 inch wide holes - is this too big for newborn chicks, should I cover the front in hardcloth? 1" should be fine. I would definitely hardware cloth or chicken wire up to at least a foot high around the run wire.
• Any other changes that you can see I need to make before they arrive? Is there a way to lower your little coop? Temporarily take the legs off? Unless you lock them all in for a week or so, (sorry, repeating myself here... I'm getting old ) you may have some difficulties with chicks not being able to navigate the ramp.

Best of luck with your new littles! Broodies are the very best for raising chicks - pretty amazing!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hello again. As always I'll say that different people do this different ways. I take the attitude that hens have been successfully managing this based on instinct alone for thousands of years. I also feel that the more I interfere the more harm I can do. A lot of people do a lot more than I do and usually do OK. I'm not going to say you have to do it my way but I'll try to present how I would do it.

Some of my hatches under a broody hen are over in less than 24 hours from the first to hatch. Some drag on more than 2 full days. I let my broody hens decide when the hatch is over. I've had several broody hens take their chicks off the nest within 24 hours of the first one to hatch. One hen hatched a chick late Monday and did not bring them off the nest until Friday morning. I'll admit I was getting a little nervous but the chicks did fine. The chicks talk to the hen and let her know how they are doing. I don't speak that language so I let her decide when she wants to bring them off. I also let her decide when she wants to take then outside.

My set-up is different than yours. Mine hatch with the flock in a fairly large coop, not isolated like yours. I keep food and clean water on the coop floor so the chicks can eat and drink when the hen brings them off the nest. The way out of my coop is a pop door about 30 cm above the coop floor. I build steps out of paving stone so the chicks can hop out, but the hen usually waits two or three days after hatch before she takes them out. After she takes them out once, she generally takes them out first thing every morning and keeps them out all day. When it gets dark she takes them back in the coop to spend the night.

My hens do not take the chicks back to the nests at night (my nests are elevated) but instead sleeps with them on the coop floor, usually in a corner. I don't know where your hen will want to take the chicks at night. It could be back in that little shelter. It might be under the shelter. It might be somewhere totally different. One of your responsibilities is to make sure wherever it is that they are protected from predators. You may need to move her and the chicks.

I see two options for you. You can just let her decide when to take then out and make sure she is protected at night. Another option would be to leave them locked in that shelter for three or four days after she brings then off the nest or leave them locked in another similar area for three or four days. I often do this when my coop is pretty crowded. I have a shelter in the run where I lock the hen and her chicks after she brings then off the nest. She always takes them back there at night after that.

Do you need to put food and water in that shelter? If you lock then in there, of course you do. If you don't lock them in I would not. The hen will take them to the food and water. The question is what will she do after that. Chicks can physically navigate that ramp. The problem is will they. Chickens are not real bright when it comes to concepts like "gate" or being able to figure out how to get to places. I could easily envision the hen going to the top of the ramp and telling her chicks to join her. Instead of the chicks marching to the foot of the ramp they are more likely to gather directly under her and peep at her saying "Mommy I can't jump that high!" The hen might give up, hop down, and take them to sleep under the shelter or somewhere else. If some make it and some don't she may decide to stay up there so you may need to toss them in with her. In a couple of days the chicks should figure it out.

Do not put any barriers that can cause the chicks to get separated and cannot rejoin each other. And don't do something that can block then from food or water. If you put up a board you may be surprised at how high some chicks can jump. That's a big part of why I don't like ramps with newly hatched chicks. It's not that they can't physically use them, but they may not know how. Instead I use steps so they can hop up. For this reason I think you will be OK putting food and water on the ground outside, they can always get down. I would not put food and water only in that shelter they night not be able to get back up. Of course another option is to have food and water both places.

Those 1" holes should be fine for regular sized chicks. That looks like a Silkie and Silkies are often bantams. I'm not sure how big those chicks will be and whether or not that 1" wire mesh will contain them. You do not want the chicks to be able to go through that when the hen cannot. Hopefully someone that has hatched Silkie chicks can answer that better than I can.

I assume that yellow waterer is what you are going to use. I don't know if you need to put rocks or marbles in it to keep the chicks from downing, I'm not sure how big that opening is or how big those chicks might be. It won't hurt to put small rocks or marbles in there for them to stand on but when I used that type (though probably smaller and with full sized chicks) it was not necessary. The chicks will stand in there and they are capable of pooping in the water. You need to empty that daily if they poop in it. Other wise it gets unhealthy.

A word of warning. Baby chicks like to crawl up under a hen's wings or under her feathers. I killed a chick once when I picked up a broody hen, a chick was under her wing and I crushed it when I picked her up to put them in that outside shelter. You can still pick her up but just be careful.

I think I've addressed your specific questions. I'm sure I'm not clear in all things so feel free to ask questions.

 

[PouleChick]

Wow thank you both so so much for your amazing replies so helpful!

Best of luck with your new littles! Broodies are the very best for raising chicks - pretty amazing!

Thanks - that is what I'm hoping that she knows what she is doing more than me!

I take the attitude that hens have been successfully managing this based on instinct alone for thousands of years.

See i think that is pretty much where I am too - I try to help birthing woman trust thier bodies and instincts so I figure chickens should have it sorted too (possibly more than a lot of woman )

Yes, she will keep them with her until she is sure she has hatched out all of the viable eggs. But, if she's wanting to go longer than a couple of days, candle the eggs to see if they're still developing, etc.

I let my broody hens decide when the hatch is over.

I'm really glad you both brought this up I hadn't thought too much about the length of time from first to last so I'll try not to worry if they aren't all out within 24 hours (which i was thinking was the norm)

I don't speak that language so I let her decide when she wants to bring them off. I also let her decide when she wants to take then outside.

OK good to know - I'll open the door and let her do what she wants when she wants.

The way out of my coop is a pop door about 30 cm above the coop floor. I build steps out of paving stone so the chicks can hop out, but the hen usually waits two or three days after hatch before she takes them out.

Mine is only about that off the ground too. I could get dh to change the door so that it lifts off and I can just lock it back up at night but remove it totally in the day and build some steps down if you think that is worth doing?

I don't know where your hen will want to take the chicks at night. It could be back in that little shelter. It might be under the shelter. It might be somewhere totally different. One of your responsibilities is to make sure wherever it is that they are protected from predators. You may need to move her and the chicks.

She wouldn't be safe outside as it isn't a hugely predator proof fence (fine in the day here but not for night) and I'm not happy with her going in with the others and the chicks (and that would involve a much steeper ramp anyway) i want that little coop to be our maternity ward / broody box so would like to get it set up so that it works well for future hatches / chicks. Future plan will be to have a 2mx2m hardcloth enclosed run so they are perfectly safe and put the little hutch (or build anohter if this one is entirely not right for being a maternity hospital but hoping it will work well with some tweaks!) in that at which point she could do what she likes but for now they'll have to go in to sleep so I'll have to check they are all in and safe when I lock up (I'm guessing they will be having pretty regular visits from us all all through the day as well so we'll spot if anyone is in difficulty!)

I see two options for you. You can just let her decide when to take then out and make sure she is protected at night.

I think I'll go this option and help her get them into the little coop if needed.

Another option would be to leave them locked in that shelter for three or four days after she brings then off the nest or leave them locked in another similar area for three or four days.

Or I might be scared and do this so I know they are safe and bonding may well be a play it by ear scenario!

In a couple of days the chicks should figure it out.

See that is great if they can do that - I'd rather let them get on with it.

Of course another option is to have food and water both places.

I will play it by ear - I do have a nipple bottle that fixes to the little coop (I used it as a brooder for my 3 big girls for a couple of months when I brought them home (without heat - they were 5 weeks'ish) so I can easily set that up in there for them.

Those 1" holes should be fine for regular sized chicks

Great!

That looks like a Silkie and Silkies are often bantams

No they aren't her eggs - I have 5 aruacanas, 1 orpington, 1 Australorp, 1 Bresse and 1 surprise so no bantams! Just a silkie mummy as I wanted to go that route rather than incubator!

I assume that yellow waterer is what you are going to use.

No that is the big one the big girls use I think it is 4 or 5 litres - you can just see a little red one near the little coop - same idea just 1/4 of the size, the openign to the water (the ring around bit they drink from) is maybe 2 cm.

I killed a chick once when I picked up a broody hen, a chick was under her wing and I crushed it when I picked her up to put them in that outside shelter.

Eeeeeeek how sad for you - thank you for the warning!

I think I've addressed your specific questions.

You have thank you so so much to both of you! The only other thing (for today no doubt there will be more!) is about the black plastic rectangular dish that she is in - I'm just worrying about it being OK, I think aart or someone said it would be find but I just can't picture how it will work with the new chicks and if it would be in the way at hatching time, or hard for them to get out of and if she'd just be better on the floor also should I put something up at that end of the little coop so there is no draft on them or will they be OK? I lean up a piece of perspex at an angle so there is plenty of air but not open totally overnight (you cna see it at the side).

 

[PouleChick]

Oh and there was something I read about needing to have rounded corners so they dont' get stuck in the corner and die - is this only if they are mummy-less chicks? Wouldn't mama hen tell them to get thier silly little fluffy bums out of the corner or do I need to sort something out?

 

[3riverschick]

Remember.if the chicks get out of the nest coop, they may not be able to get back in. keep the door shut
Chicks cannot regulate their own heat for at least a couple weeks. so if they get out and they can't get back in , they can die of cold . Won't hurt mom to be in there with the chicks and she can eat the chick food to. not a problem.
Best,
Karen

 

[PouleChick]

Won't hurt mom to be in there with the chicks and she can eat the chick food to. not a problem.

Thanks Karen, That is good for me to hear, I've read so much about chickens needing lots of space to be happy etc and I'm so worried about doing right by them so good to hear she won't mind being shut up with them for a little.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Oh and there was something I read about needing to have rounded corners so they dont' get stuck in the corner and die - is this only if they are mummy-less chicks? Wouldn't mama hen tell them to get thier silly little fluffy bums out of the corner or do I need to sort something out?

Don't worry about that. When you brood a large group of chicks without a broody and something startles them, they can pile up in a corner and suffocate some. That's nothing for you to worry about in your circumstances.

Mine is only about that off the ground too. I could get dh to change the door so that it lifts off and I can just lock it back up at night but remove it totally in the day and build some steps down if you think that is worth doing?

I would not change it. If you do anything make some steps maybe 10 cm to 15 cm high on the side of that ramp so they can hop up there. I don't consider that necessary but it would be easy insurance.

 

[PouleChick]

I would not change it. If you do anything make some steps maybe 10 cm to 15 cm high on the side of that ramp so they can hop up there. I don't consider that necessary but it would be easy insurance.

That is a great idea - I can easily find something around the place to make them some sort of little stepped hill to get up on each side - really good idea - and dh sighed with relief too

 

[PouleChick]

Sorry just wondering about the pan she is in?

The only other thing (for today no doubt there will be more!) is about the black plastic rectangular dish that she is in - I'm just worrying about it being OK, I think aart or someone said it would be find but I just can't picture how it will work with the new chicks and if it would be in the way at hatching time, or hard for them to get out of and if she'd just be better on the floor

And the front - sorry just to add if it changes the answers - we are having very warm weather (up to 30c / 80f) at the moment and about 12c / 20f overnight so not cold at all. Hatching day and week is a lot cooler though - around 15c / 60f in the day and 6c / 45f overnight

also should I put something up at that end of the little coop so there is no draft on them or will they be OK? I lean up a piece of perspex at an angle so there is plenty of air but not open totally overnight (you cna see it at the side).