I have a broody hen setting on 5 eggs. She was in the main nest box that everyone uses (a community nest) and she was stealing all the eggs,plus trying to keep the hens out of the box. So I put a pet carrier (large one) with shavings in it in the coop and moved her nest. She let me move her, but threw a hissy fit afterward. Now she is settled in the pet carrier in the coop with her eggs. The door is open to the carrier so she can go in and out. Will this carrier work well for a brooder box once the chicks are born? and should I keep the door shut with food and water in the carrier when the chicks are just hatched or just leave the door open and let the mom and chicks move about the coop as they please, but be able to go back in the carrier when they wish? thanks for any input!
After the chicks are hatched, I would keep the door closed, and open it periodically in case the hen wants to get away from her kids, lol. If they are in with other chickens, they will most likely peck the chicks. (We had one of our chicks get out of the kennel and we never found it.) After a few weeks, we let the chicks out in the evenings with the mama, when most of the other chickens are roosting. We supervise while they are out, for about 15 min, then they go back into their cage. Good luck and enjoy your new chickies when they hatch!!!
Whether you raise them with the flock or not is your personal choice. People do it successfully both ways and people have problems both ways. There are no guaranties either way. I let mama decide when she wants to introduce her chicks to the flock. I find that space is the key to success. If you have sufficient room for mama to protect her babies, she will usually do fine. And if you keep mama and the babies confined in too small a space, you can have problems that way. One thing that is very important. If you do keep mama and the babies separated from the flock, make sure the babies cannot escape and mix with the flock without mama's protection. The flock will very likely kill them. But if mama is with them they will probably be fine. This link may help you decide. Raise with flock? thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=215937&p=1
