What Do I Do If My Broody's Clutch Makes It?

[Barry Natchitoches]

I have a 5 and 1/2 month old buff orpington who has already gone broody on me. I mean, she and her cohort group barely started laying eggs and she decided she wants to hatch some of them.


We do have a roo, and he's had his way with her and the other four pullets, so it IS possible that these eggs could be fertilized and make it, though they are so small I am not sure about it.


She has about maybe six eggs or so in her clutch, and she's been sitting on them for well over a week. We have an older hen that the roo has also mated, so we took a few of her eggs and gave them to Ms. Broody to sit on. I mean, if she is really serious about hatching a few chicklets, well, we thought we'd give her a few that might actually make it.


Anyway, we figure on putting her in a large dog cage with her babies if any make it, and putting the dog cage in the henhouse. We're afraid of the little chicks being hurt if we don't separate her somehow.


But would it be better for us to bring the dog cage into the house, where temperatures would be better regulated?


When we just had chicks and no hen to mother them, we put them in a temperature regulated brooder.


How will Ms. Broody keep the little chicks warm if it gets cold at nights in the hen house?


I guess that is why I was wondering if I should bring her and the little chicks inside.


What do you all think?

 

[happi752]

momma usually knows better than us. I would leave her in the hen house with her babies. Unless of course the temps are dipping down below the 50's, then I would just bring them all inside so she can continue to be a momma.

 

[PortageGirl]

Leave her there! I've had broodies raise chicks in the earrrrrly srping, temps still getting below freezing at night etc. Mama has a down coat and she shares with her babies.

You're right to keep her/them seperated, assuming she has access to feed and water. She won't get up even to eat/drink the day they hatch, that's normal.

once they hatch and she lets them out, they'll need feed too and a bit of room, so plan on where you can keep her till she's ready to bring her kids out to visit their aunties, and they'll need a place they can escape to, (an upside down container that has 'chick sized' doors whee they can eat/drink safely).

 

[Bookworm chick]

Leave here there. We also had a young broody (bantam). I was concerned too that she might not be a good mother because of her age, but she is excellent!
My husband wired off a section of the coop for her with a little door for access (ours and hers too). He built a broody box nest for her. She hatched her chicks a little over 3 weeks ago. We've kept her in her "coop in a coop" with water and chick starter. The nestbox is "bed" and every night they go in there. The others could see the chicks but not harm them. We have since reintroduced the mama and chicks with the rest of the flock. The mama quickly showed them she means business and they stay clear of her and her brood. It did help that she was at the top of the pecking order. If she had been wimpy or at the bottom, we'd have done things differently.
They go out into the run with the others in the morning. They peck, scratch, dustbathe and roost and all the things the big ones do. Mama has been a good teacher.
Since they also eat from the big feeder now, I've been putting chick starter in that too. That way, they're all eating the same. When they're laying age, I'll switch back to laying crumbles.
Each evening at dusk she takes her brood back into the nestbox and we shut them in until morning. So far everythings worked out fine. Good luck with your young soon-to-be mama.

 

[Chickenaddict]

This year I left all my broodies alone and let them raise the babies with the free ranging flock. Currently I have 3 broodies with chicks in tow and another 5 broodies on eggs. I haven't had one problem with the chicks getting picked on probably due to the fact that they get to roam free on an acre during the day. I would leave her in there and just keep her and her chicks isolated for a few days until they get a bit stronger then let them roam with the flock. She will keep the chicks plenty warm, when they get chilly they will run under her to stay warm. She will teach them everything they need to know and it will be an awesome experience