Total newbie hen hatching eggs in a few days. How do I best support her?

polka_dottie

Chirping
May 23, 2020
25
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Hi Folks! The title really sums up my post. My flock is celebrating a year together. My two "old ladies" were shared with us from a friend and my younger hens were purchased as chicks from our local feed store. One of my old lady Rhode Island Red's is on day 19 of brooding a clutch of 6 eggs in one of my nest boxes. She's never brooded before. The other 4 other hens have been going about their business and leaving momma to her task. My questions now that we're in the home stretch....

1. Is it in her and the possible chicks best interest to relocate them to their own private run post-hatch? In reading other posts, it seems like some folks do and some don't. Momma is my surly hen and is usually The Boss of the flock.
2. If I leave them with the rest of the flock in the coop/main run, do I add a heat lamp or is momma going to keep them warm enough? (If it helps, I'm in Western NY. We've got lots of humidity but it's been a RAINY summer)
3. I'm ready with chick crumbles/waterer. I keep the flock together, and I don't feed my flock in the coop but instead in the run, do I place the chick supplies in the coop to give them more space?
4. What other best practices can I put in place to keep mom and potential babies safe?
 
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First question: Do you have a rooster? If you don't, throw out the eggs.
1. you can leave them in without the other chickens, they'll probably be fine. Momma probably won't tolerate anything around her babies.
2. no heat lamp is necessary, but make sure the nest box is flush with the floor so the babes can get in and out and not left behind anywhere.
3. you can, it might be best to have a short distance away from them. it won't hurt the big chickens to eat it.
4.make sure you coop is predator proof and if your coop and run aren't equal with each other (like there's a ramp to the coop), you might need to move them so they wont fall
 
First question: Do you have a rooster? If you don't, throw out the eggs.
1. you can leave them in without the other chickens, they'll probably be fine. Momma probably won't tolerate anything around her babies.
2. no heat lamp is necessary, but make sure the nest box is flush with the floor so the babes can get in and out and not left behind anywhere.
3. you can, it might be best to have a short distance away from them. it won't hurt the big chickens to eat it.
4.make sure you coop is predator proof and if your coop and run aren't equal with each other (like there's a ramp to the coop), you might need to move them so they wont fall
Yes, the eggs she's sitting on are fertilized.
Thanks for the feedback! Our next boxes are flush with the floor with a lip at the front. I believe this should be navigable by little legs. I will plan for the alternate food location and reinforce our predator defenses.
 
Update: one of 5 eggs has hatched on Friday. The others have been abandoned today in order to introduce the chick to their aunties. Momma is so proud.
 
If you feed your whole flock the starter food or another chick friendly food such as Purina Flock Raiser crumbles make sure there are free choice oyster shells. Also make sure waters are chick safe.
 

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