Help with moving Hen and newly hatched chick(s)

johs · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:13 am

Hi ALL,

I have had two broodies sitting in inappropriate places and now each have at least one chick that has hatched. conf665

One is in a nesting box 60cm up. I'm worried that the chicks may fall out and I've yet to see mum make any move towards water/food. Pretty sure they only hatched New years eve/morning.

The other is on the floor of the coop. I have put water in reach for her but I need to move her and the other one so the other girls don't eat the chick starter they are going to need.

Soooo.
Any suggestions on how/when I should move each broody?
I assume they will need their own space and can't be housed in a coop together?

thanks,

JO

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Hi, Jo

,

, baby photos please!!!

Broodies and babies and extra accommodation are always a challenge, broodies can get very jealous of each other and each other's babies, so best that they are both mums and their families are separated from each other.

The small chook/rabbit hutches with runs make good accommodation, for young families. Can you move the nesting box that is 60cm off the ground with mum and chicks? How many more eggs to hatch? You could wait until most of the chicks hatch, as will stay under mum for about 24 hours before getting adventurous, depending on what type of mum she is she will sit tight until they have hatched before hopping off for food and drink.

Both the girls were in the main coop sitting on their clutches and I had an accommodation crisis, I waited until the chicks hatched on both occasions before I moved them into separated hutches. Prepare the hutches first before moving them.

Chickababe · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:56 pm

Good advice PP.

As PP suggested wait until all eggs have hatched then at night when they are nice and quiet move mum and her chicks. I found that during the day the chicks are quite fast and harder to catch and could become a little stressed with "separation anxiety" but at night they were calm and easy to catch and cuddle.

Good luck moving your new family. By the way, what breed have you hatched?

johs · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:00 am

Thanks guys.

Managed to move one mother. Only one of her eggs hatched. Caught mum & chick and moved them into prepared accommodation. She was the one on the floor and had taken baby outside.

The other one is more of a challenge. Still in the nesting box. I'm worried about trying to move her. Don't want to injure the chick. Mum is VERY protective still. Lunges wildly day & night.

Totally Radom what the chicks could be Chickababe. They look like australorp chicks, the two I've seen. Dad is a leghorn.

Broody's are a Rock and a Barnie. :lol:

Got an Australorp sitting on Araucana eggs too. :-?

Had to put some Araucana eggs in the incubator as I had another Barnie sitting and one of the eggs popped, ewww, and she got up. Lucky really because she looked horrible. I don't think she had been getting up to eat or drink. Really pale comb and quite dejected looking. I couldn't see how bad she was in the dark corner she was in. She's looking a bit better today.

I'll take some pictures when I can PP. :lol:

LeaK · **Joined:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:00 am **Posts:** 1

I built a ramp for my nest boxes as like your they have a big lip on the and the chicks can't get back in so the wood ramp worked perfectly every time. They need to make the boxes with a chick entry/exit point

johs · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:15 pm

Yeah leaK. I must build a ramp for there. Might encourage a couple more hens to lay in the boxes rather than on the floor. :-?

Not an ideal place for a broody. Moved the other one too. She was calling to the chick to jump down. Made it easy for me to catch it. Not so easy for me to entice the mother into her new accomodation though. Took 5-10 minutes. Both moved happy and safe. One chick each.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Hi, Jo

,

Glad moving the mums and babies were accomplished

johs wrote:

Might encourage a couple more hens to lay in the boxes rather than on the floor. :-?

Do use use plastic or ceramic dummy eggs at all in your nesting boxes? I still have a couple of plastic ones in the nesting box, the girls like to fuss over them and they make a neat little clutch after they lay.

Don't forget the photos please :-D

Thank you, kindly

johs · **Posted:** Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:07 am

Mum's and chicks doing well. Sorry PP no photos yet.

5 araucana chicks hatched in the incubator. 3 or 4 under the broody. Under cover of darkness I slipped the 5 from the incubator under broody. All seemed to go well. Thought about taking a picture after the event. Oops.

There were 2 black (one mottled around the head), one yellow, one white with a couple of black feathers and one gingery colour. Under the broody I think I saw one black, two lavender and one yellow. I'm very interested to see what these little guys turn into, colour wise. Then the hard decision about who stays and who goes. :cry:

As soon as they are all up moving around I'll take some pics.

Jo

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

can't wait to see the baby photos!

The black Araucana's are really striking, they are sort of a petrol colour.

What breed is the mum? Glad she didn't mind the extra's!

johs · **Posted:** Sun Jan 13, 2013 8:33 pm

Saw a deceased chick in with the Australorp and Araucana chicks. Don't know if it's one of the 8 I saw her with today or one that had not hatched properly.

They are so small and hens are so rough flinging chicks around when scratching. I hope it wasn't one of the ones that had managed to hatch successfully. All that work for nothing. Hopefully I will be able to see and count them tomorrow to check.

Happier news here is the WELL fed singleton with her/his 'mother'.

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