[oddpaws]

Hello all,

First time on this forum.

We have been keeping hens for over a year now, we started off with pol pullets and then we took in a cockrel and a silkie cross, a rhodie and two black rocks.
They silkie is our broody and she is sitting on 5 eggs and has barely moved, even when i moved her and the eggs to a safe nest.

Any way to cut along story short the eggs are due to hatch next week and they and mum are in a fairly restricted area.......about 2ft by 1ft and 1.5 ft high................My question is....How long should I leave mum and chicks together in that sort of confinement?

Sorry if this is a bit long winded but want to make sure I get it right for them.

Thanks in advance for any help and great forum by the way......have been reading it for months now.

[joyfull]

First of all oddpaws welcome  .
Make sure mum has access to chick crumbs and water - in a shallow dish with marbles or similar in to stop the chicks from drowning. The chicks will be fine without food for a day or so. Mum will bring her babies out after a couple of days - I let mine out to free range when they were very young but you could keep them in a mesh pen or ark for  a bit longer if you wish. joyfullxx

[oddpaws]

Hiya jofull,

Thanks for that, they have food and water ready for when they hatch so that is ok. all our girls (and boy) are free range and I would like to get the babies, if they hatch ok out with the others as soon as poss but obviously dont want them hurt. Our Cockrel (Kevin) is a bit of a brute!

[joyfull]

My first lot I kept seperate (but in full view) for a couple of weeks but could see mum was going stir crazy so let them out, no problems but if any got too close to her babies mum went for them. With my second lot they came out straight away - their surrogate mum is joint top chook so the others didn't mess with her or her little ones. I have only just got a couple of cockerels so didn't have that problem.

[Foxy]

Welcome to the forum oddpaws!





Have moved your question to the henhouse, this is the board where health/breed/behaviour questions are posted

[oddpaws]

 :unsure:Thank you foxy, not quite sure were things belong yet