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Urgent advice needed about hen with chicks

Discussion in 'Raising Baby Chicks' started by Kimbolini, Aug 22, 2016.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Aug 22, 2016 #1
    Kimbolini

    Kimbolini Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 7, 2014
    Vancouver Island, BC
    I have a hen that has been brooding inside the coop, and her eggs have started to hatch today.

    I had tried to move her to a separate confined area with her eggs last week (and also previous to that), but she absolutely refused to sit on the eggs and struggled so much that she got out of the confined area and back to the empty nest where she started. I tried 3 times putting her back, and each time she refused and went back, hurting her poor comb in the process the last time, so I gave up and let her be.

    My question is, now that the babies are starting to hatch, and she is in the main coop where she won't be able to show the chicks food because they won't be able to get in and out of the coop with its steep ramp etc., I'd like to move her to the other area with her babies. Is this a good idea? What else could I do? Right now I have my other hens and the roo locked out of the coop so that they won't bother her while the rest are hatching, but that will only be good for the day.

    Any advice is really appreciated.
     
  3. Aug 22, 2016 #2
    SunHwaKwon

    SunHwaKwon Overrun With Chickens

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    Eastern Shore, MD
    This is what I've had to do - wait until hatch is over then relocate them.
     
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  5. Aug 22, 2016 #3
    donrae

    donrae Hopelessly Addicted Premium Member

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    If you really need to move her, wait until her hatch is over. Thing is, that may take 2 days for everyone to hatch. You can let the other birds in during that time. Most aren't near brave enough to mess with a broody with an active hatching clutch [​IMG]

    After that, you can separate her or you can let her take them out of the coop and brood them in the run. that's what my hens always do.
     
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  7. Aug 22, 2016 #4
    GoldenFlight

    GoldenFlight Chillin' With My Peeps Premium Member

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    I would wait until they all hatch and dry off then just move them to there new location as calmly as you can.
     
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  9. Aug 22, 2016 #5
    SunHwaKwon

    SunHwaKwon Overrun With Chickens

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    I usually move the mother first then put her babies with her. If you take the babies first she might freak out and run all over then you have to try to catch her.
     
  11. Aug 24, 2016 #6
    kmpcfp

    kmpcfp Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Mar 24, 2014
    I literally just went through this.

    5 chicks hatched between a Thursday and Saturday. I put a partition in the coop to keep in any unruly chicks, and a waterer and chick feeder in the coop, (it is raised about 3 feet off the ground with a ramp.)

    I moved a temporary cardboard nest box in front of pop door for other laying hens and moved it in evening so they could get to roost.

    Tuesday (3 days after last chick hatched) I forgot to close them in and mama had all 5 of them unscathed and in run with the rest of the flock. She protects them from nosy sisters and the chicks are way more agile then I gave them credit for.

    Point is, if mama is doing a good job with the current set up, why not just leave them be?
     

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