Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[FirewifeJess]

Would someone who has hatched eggs/raised chicks via broody hen be willing to give me advice about the best setup for said hen/babies? I currently have 2 wide nest boxes in the coop where everyone lays their eggs. I also have a rabbit hutch I could keep in the chicken run (it's very secure, and roofed) for a hen and eggs/chicks. I'm just not sure if I let a broody stay in the nest boxes, or once I'm certain she's good and broody, move her eggs and nest to the rabbit hutch so she's more secluded and protected? I want the chicks to be safe obviously, but there's drawbacks to both the nest boxes and the rabbit hutch (which is about 16" off the ground...how would mama get chicks outside?) IDK, I just don't know what I want to do, or if moving a broody would stick or she'd abandon chicks/eggs if moved?

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Would someone who has hatched eggs/raised chicks via broody hen be willing to give me advice about the best setup for said hen/babies? I currently have 2 wide nest boxes in the coop where everyone lays their eggs. I also have a rabbit hutch I could keep in the chicken run (it's very secure, and roofed) for a hen and eggs/chicks. I'm just not sure if I let a broody stay in the nest boxes, or once I'm certain she's good and broody, move her eggs and nest to the rabbit hutch so she's more secluded and protected? I want the chicks to be safe obviously, but there's drawbacks to both the nest boxes and the rabbit hutch (which is about 16" off the ground...how would mama get chicks outside?) IDK, I just don't know what I want to do, or if moving a broody would stick or she'd abandon chicks/eggs if moved?

I would get her and eggs out asap. keep them separate. I have a stall I put Silkiebator in. I also put a shallow bee hive down for her to nest in that keeps the chicks confined and then after a couple days I remove the hive. Also I have found that MY broody babies are much wilder than hand raised.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
Thanks CR! I was thinking that keeping them in the rabbit hutch separately from the other chickens would be best but didn't know how to keep them in there. Maybe I can block the door a few inches high so they can't get out prematurely without mama. I'm not too worried about them being wild. I've got a dozen girls who all let me handle them and if I have a few that don't, it's not a big deal. I plan to spend a lot of time with them anyway when they're tiny, but let mama do the dirty work. I am DYING to have one of my girls go broody though! I certainly hope someone does in the springtime.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Would someone who has hatched eggs/raised chicks via broody hen be willing to give me advice about the best setup for said hen/babies? I currently have 2 wide nest boxes in the coop where everyone lays their eggs. I also have a rabbit hutch I could keep in the chicken run (it's very secure, and roofed) for a hen and eggs/chicks. I'm just not sure if I let a broody stay in the nest boxes, or once I'm certain she's good and broody, move her eggs and nest to the rabbit hutch so she's more secluded and protected? I want the chicks to be safe obviously, but there's drawbacks to both the nest boxes and the rabbit hutch (which is about 16" off the ground...how would mama get chicks outside?)  IDK, I just don't know what I want to do, or if moving a broody would stick or she'd abandon chicks/eggs if moved?

I would get her and eggs out asap. keep them separate. I have a stall I put Silkiebator in. I also put a shallow bee hive down for her to nest in that keeps the chicks confined and then after a couple days I remove the hive.  Also I have found that MY broody babies are much wilder than hand raised.

Thanks CR! I was thinking that keeping them in the rabbit hutch separately from the other chickens would be best but didn't know how to keep them in there. Maybe I can block the door a few inches high so they can't get out prematurely without mama. I'm not too worried about them being wild. I've got a dozen girls who all let me handle them and if I have a few that don't, it's not a big deal. I plan to spend a lot of time with them anyway when they're tiny, but let mama do the dirty work. I am DYING to have one of my girls go broody though! I certainly hope someone does in the springtime.

You can keep them from being wild by holding them a few times everyday. That is what I did with my chicks from broody. Just reach in and gently grab a chick and hold and talk to it for a minute or two. When my broody got snatched by the hawk, I was able to walk right up to the almost 3week old chick and pick him up to bring him in with the Silkies. He gets handled everyday still, he likes to just sit on my fingers like a perch. I put my broody with her eggs into the tractor coop in the night and she set the whole time. I kept her in there locked up until the chicks were a week old, then started letting them range with the flock. She chose to coop her and the chicks in the tractor at night. I hope you get a broody soon.

 

[elizmartin]

HI Everyone, posted today on craigslist, Washington/Snohomish-Seattle-farm & Garden, is someone wishing a silkie female, think white or pretty, sounds new, has a boy.Think Edmonds, Wa. So if there is anyone out there who may be able to help her....Just wanted to let You know....

Hope everyone had a pleasant, peaceful Holiday....

Best Wishes to You All......eliz

 

[SweetSilver]

I wish more of y'all would share some Christmas pics, or anything recent!? Would love to put faces with names if you dare

My profile picture is the most recent photo taken of me. That's me with my Tangerine Orpington Giant.

I swear, it's true!

 

[RonB]

Would someone who has hatched eggs/raised chicks via broody hen be willing to give me advice about the best setup for said hen/babies? I currently have 2 wide nest boxes in the coop where everyone lays their eggs. I also have a rabbit hutch I could keep in the chicken run (it's very secure, and roofed) for a hen and eggs/chicks. I'm just not sure if I let a broody stay in the nest boxes, or once I'm certain she's good and broody, move her eggs and nest to the rabbit hutch so she's more secluded and protected? I want the chicks to be safe obviously, but there's drawbacks to both the nest boxes and the rabbit hutch (which is about 16" off the ground...how would mama get chicks outside?) IDK, I just don't know what I want to do, or if moving a broody would stick or she'd abandon chicks/eggs if moved?

I would get her and eggs out asap. keep them separate. I have a stall I put Silkiebator in. I also put a shallow bee hive down for her to nest in that keeps the chicks confined and then after a couple days I remove the hive. Also I have found that MY broody babies are much wilder than hand raised.

Look at that

I FINALLY reached my 1,000 post

took me a lot longer then most you Gabby people

My RIR went broody LAST year. she was by far my best momma. she hatched nine babies. she was fine with me picking them up and moving them around. This year I had SIX different hens go broody. They were six different breeds. They didn't like to be moved into a separate pen. Some took longer then others to adjust, some didn't want to go back on the nest box after I moved them. They were All pretty protective of their babies. Its like they taught the babies to fear humans. I still have a buckeye mom with her 5 month old baby and she still wants to attack me when I open the coop door. Baby is going bye-bye next week to Tamaras and momma is going back with the rest of the flock !

I agree with CR. broody babies aren't as tame as hand raised

 

[TerrorBird]

I was just out cleaning the chicken house a bit, taking care of the poopy areas and putting new chips where I removed stuff. Pudge was wandering around being very fussy, looking like she wanted to lay. She'd stand in the dirty areas I was shoveling and scratch around, ignoring me when I'd pat her on the side to get her to move. When I was putting new chips down, the bale was blocking the door. She moved toward the door like she wanted to leave and got into the bale of chips. She poked around in the bale and tried to make a nest.

I pulled her out and moved the bale so that she could leave the house. She just jumped up into the bale again and tried to settle in. It was completely adorable. She's still running around the house being all fussy. Probably because I took the chips with me.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

 

[FirewifeJess]

I was just out cleaning the chicken house a bit, taking care of the poopy areas and putting new chips where I removed stuff. Pudge was wandering around being very fussy, looking like she wanted to lay. She'd stand in the dirty areas I was shoveling and scratch around, ignoring me when I'd pat her on the side to get her to move. When I was putting new chips down, the bale was blocking the door. She moved toward the door like she wanted to leave and got into the bale of chips. She poked around in the bale and tried to make a nest.

I pulled her out and moved the bale so that she could leave the house. She just jumped up into the bale again and tried to settle in. It was completely adorable. She's still running around the house being all fussy. Probably because I took the chips with me.

That's adorable! Reminds me of when I found this:

One of the girls obviously found it to be a suitable laying spot! I had to move the bale to the garage because I kept finding it pecked open and rearranged like a nest.