To move or not to move?

[golly_dolly]

We have a hen that has been sitting on a clutch of 4 eggs, one of those hatched yesterday. The dilemma is that when we built our homemade coop, we did not build it with with raising baby chicks in mind and we were not at all prepared when our hen went broody. So the hen and the chick + unhatched eggs are in a nesting box about 3 ft off the floor, and now that the chick is a day old it wants to go exploring. We are worried that it will fall and get hurt or get into another nest and get hurt by another hen, plus we can only offer food to the chick in the nest, there's no way to put water there.

Of the options that we have considered are: One - attempting to move the hen, nest, and all to a more secure location and risking her abandoning the remaining eggs. Or two - taking the chick away from her to raise ourselves and let her stay and see if anymore eggs will hatch.

I am kind of at wit's end and I'm afraid I'm not thinking rationally. All I really know is that something needs to be done soon.

 

[emys]

I'd offer the chick moistened food - he is still working on yolk absorption for now anyway. That takes care of water and food needs. Then put up a barrier across the nest box for another day or so until all eggs that will hatch have hatched. In a day or so move all of them somewhere safer.

BTW

 

[earnhardtlvr]

Quote:
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[golly_dolly]

Thanks!

Ok, I put a small strip of plastic across the front of the nesting box this morning. So that the hen can come and go, but the chick cannot... or at least shouldn't be able to. After searching around, I found a gatorade lid that I was able to fit in the edge of the nesting box for water, at least for now.

Now when it does come time to move them all, what is the best way to do that? I have heard to do it at night while the hen is asleep. She has been pretty protective thus far and has made it clear that she doesn't want anyone touching her; we are doing good to reach in the front of the box to give the chick food and water.

 

[emys]

It will probably be less stressful for the hen to be moved at night in the dark as much as you can, to keep her from moving around in panic and accidentally squishing chicks.