[frenchliving]

I proudly announced that my missing hen had gone broody and produced a stream of 11 chicks last weekend! I noticed this morning that she is missing and the chicks are wandering around the garden alone! She is no where to be seen!

Ive just seen two of the other girls with "something" in there mouths and they both had a chicks wing each! I am sure they have devoured the lot, feathers and all!

Surely she cant be broody again, these are approx. 10 days old! I can only find 8 chicks now, they have gone to settle down for the night, but im worried the other hens will attack and eat them! Why would they do this???

Should I take them out and put them in a cardboard box for the night, its nice and warm here, around 28 degrees even at night, will they be ok!

Please help! x

[BobE]

Look Im not a chicken keeper, however I think in your case I would gather them into a box for the night.  This gives you time to get advice from others.
I did once, a long time ago, keep ducks and other ducks would kill chicks.  Maybe its similar.  Just put them safe till other people come along.
Bring the box inside, a shed, anyware safe, just till you know what to do.

[mohs.ayaz]

Keep them away from other hens they will attack.

[ANHBUC]

Hens will eat mice so if they are not their chicks they will attack and kill/eat the chicks.

As others have said put them in a box, cover with mesh as they will probably have a go at jumping/flying out.  Put water and chick crumb in for them but make sure the drinker is suitable for chicks.  The temperature should be fine for them but if you are unsure even an old fashioned type of light bulb will give off enough heat to boost the temperature for them.  I have used a bedside lamp in a large plastic tub before to make a makeshift brooder to help a newly hatched quail.

Some of the missing chicks may have found a safe place to hide from the hens.  Good luck with the chicks and finding Mum.   

[GrannieAnnie]

Sorry this has happened Frenchy.  At 10days old the chicks should really be at around 33°C, so like ANHBUC said, even an ordinary lightbulb suspended over the box will help.  It didn't matter when Mum was with them as she kept them warm.

I think you will have to keep them separate from the others until they are at least 3 months old, maybe longer now until they can stand up for themselves.

Good luck!

[BobE]

Frenchy, can you feedback whats happening please.  Worried people here.

[frenchliving]

Sorry BobE, I put them in a box overnight as suggested!
They seemed a little calm this morning but all well and cuddled together!

I have a small broody run, so have let them out in there this morning! (I did have two hens and 8 chicks in there too but have evicted them for the safety of my orphaned babies)

They can pass through the wire at the front but Im hoping they will stay together, until I finish work later today!

Thanks for all the support, I knew I could rely on you lot! I will keep you updated x

[ANHBUC]

You can always cable tie something like old net curtains, scaffold netting,  weld mesh or chicken mesh over the larger holes.  I have to do that to stop my quail chicks escaping, it is easily removed once they are bigger.

I hope everything goes well for the chicks and you find out what happened to your broody. 

[Sassy]

Even lean some planks of wood against the bottom of the netting or anything else that will do the job.

[frenchliving]

Thanks, ive just got back from work and gone to investigate how many are left in, they cant actually get out of the holes, we have log roll around the most of the bottom anyway just the front section, but they have obviously grown a little! So I still have 8! phew

All the farmers are harvesting and we have loads of buzzards around for the mice in the field, maybe one thought he had got lucky seeing all the chicks, she was very protective so maybe she got taken instead! This is the 3rd lot of chicks she has raised this year but its too early for her to go broody again isn't it??? The last one she raised a silkie and he was around around 6 weeks old when she left him???

She has disappeared like this before and then she has turned up a week or so later for food and drink, but it seems far too early to me?? I have another hen missing too, I assumed she had gone broody and was hiding but I haven't seen her for weeks, so hence why Im assuming the buzzard!!

[BobE]

Do you have a large garden ?

[ANHBUC]

I would say that it is too early for her to leave the chicks.  I have had a broody start to lay again at 6 weeks which I thought was early.  I suppose you will only know if she turns up in a few weeks, she won't have chicks unless she has managed to find a rouge cockerel on her travels.   

[frenchliving]

yes bobe around 5000m2 dont know what that is in englush sorry. we have 2 cocks in the garden anhbuc so its a possibility. my guessing is the buzzards :-(

[frenchliving]

Just to let everyone know, I still have 8 babies  they seem to be doing ok in the broody hutch, and are protected from the other hens. They seem to be doing ok at the moment without mum, but probably due to the weather we are having! Lets hope it continues for a while!

Thanks again guys! x Still no sign of mum!

[GrannieAnnie]

Awww hope that buzard didn't get her, but doesn't sound good does it?

But fingers crossed the chicks will be okay.  Like you say, good job we have deent weather!