NewFlockOnTheBlock
Songster
We have a broody hen, Chanterelle, who has been sitting on eggs for 1 week now (today is Day 7). She cracked/crushed most of the first batch of eggs after 2-3 days so we ended up removing all the eggs from under her, replacing the bedding in the nest box, and giving her a bath before letting her start over with a fresh batch of eggs. So far she seems to be doing all right (knock on wood).
We are not planning to add chicks to our flock at this point but our friends said they would take them, which is why we decided to let Chanterelle keep the eggs. My question is: what is the best thing to do once the chicks hatch? I've heard that other hens can kill baby chicks so it looks like simply leaving the mama hen and the chicks in the coop with everyone else is not an option. (Also the nest box is a few feet off the ground, accessible via a ramp, and I worry that the chicks might fall out.) Should we have our friends come get the chicks right away? Or should we move Chanterelle and the babies to a different coop so she can raise them for a few weeks? We have a second coop in the back yard that is currently empty. If we go this route, when is a good time to take the chicks away from her? And, will the other chickens accept Chanterelle back into the flock after she was away for some time? The coops are across the yard from each other and the chickens can see each other if they are out in the attached run but I don't know if that will help them "remember" her. Plus she may spend most of her time inside with the babies anyway.
We are not planning to add chicks to our flock at this point but our friends said they would take them, which is why we decided to let Chanterelle keep the eggs. My question is: what is the best thing to do once the chicks hatch? I've heard that other hens can kill baby chicks so it looks like simply leaving the mama hen and the chicks in the coop with everyone else is not an option. (Also the nest box is a few feet off the ground, accessible via a ramp, and I worry that the chicks might fall out.) Should we have our friends come get the chicks right away? Or should we move Chanterelle and the babies to a different coop so she can raise them for a few weeks? We have a second coop in the back yard that is currently empty. If we go this route, when is a good time to take the chicks away from her? And, will the other chickens accept Chanterelle back into the flock after she was away for some time? The coops are across the yard from each other and the chickens can see each other if they are out in the attached run but I don't know if that will help them "remember" her. Plus she may spend most of her time inside with the babies anyway.