Hatching with a hen- chick living quarters

[gte510i]

Hen went broody, so I decided to roll with it. (We have a rooster)

Currently, she is in a regular nesting box. But I will be moving her tonight to a dog crate on the bottom floor of the coop- So chicks can’t tumble out of the roosting area (and to keep other hens from pestering the mom) But I wanted the mom to remain in the flock hierarchy and let her integrate the babies.

If this was an incubator hatch lockdown would begin Monday or Tuesday.

Question 1:
When can I unlock the dog crate?

Question 2: our hens are pastured with their coop/dirt run opening up to electric poultry netting. This poultry netting is not ‘chick sized’. Do I trust the mother hen to keep the babies with her?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Question 1:
When can I unlock the dog crate?

How far off the ground is the nesting box??

Question 2: our hens are pastured with their coop/dirt run opening up to electric poultry netting. This poultry netting is not ‘chick sized’. Do I trust the mother hen to keep the babies with her?

Usually the chicks will stay close but as they get a bit older they may tend to wander off a bit. You may want to fence off a safe area specifically for the hen and chicks.

 

[gte510i]

Here is the coop. Nesting boxes are off to the side. Chickens walk a gangplank to get down.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Tell me about your crate. How big is it. How much room do you have for a nest, food, water, and any room left over? Is it one of those plastic ones with pretty solid walls or is it more of a wire cage? If it is the wire cage type do you need to put a smaller mesh wire around it to keep baby chicks in?

Question 1:
When can I unlock the dog crate?

That's a hard one. If you can tell when the hen has brought the chicks off of the nest, that would be the time. That's where size and type of crate my help you.

The chicks absorb the yolk before they hatch so they can go over 72 hours before they need to eat or drink. So you are not under pressure to go quickly. Besides, you will probably have food and water in there.

Some of my hatches are over within 16 hours of the first one hatching. Some have drug into the third day. My longest was when a chick hatched late Monday and the hen did not bring the chicks off the nest until Friday morning, about 80 hours after the first one hatched. Some people go by the clock for this but I don't. That's why I consider this a hard question. All I can suggest is pay attention to the hen and chicks and use your best judgment.

Question 2: our hens are pastured with their coop/dirt run opening up to electric poultry netting. This poultry netting is not ‘chick sized’. Do I trust the mother hen to keep the babies with her?

I have electric netting like that. How big is the area inside your electric netting? I have over 2,000 square feet. I think the size of your area will make a difference.

The full-sized fowl chicks can get through mine until they are around 7 weeks of age. Some of my broody hens keep their chicks close. Other broodies are a lot more relaxed and let their chicks roam more. A few times I've seen chicks go through the fence but when the broody calls they come back.

I've had a couple of broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks of age. I've had some broodies not wean theirs until after 2 months, too big to get through the netting. Also, I sometimes have brooder raised chicks that I might let range with my flock at 5 weeks of age. A lot of these chicks that are on their own can get through the netting if they want to and some do. Most don't. I don't know why. Each brood is different and each flock has its own dynamics.

 

[gte510i]

Tell me about your crate. How big is it. How much room do you have for a nest, food, water, and any room left over? Is it one of those plastic ones with pretty solid walls or is it more of a wire cage? If it is the wire cage type do you need to put a smaller mesh wire around it to keep baby chicks in?


That's a hard one. If you can tell when the hen has brought the chicks off of the nest, that would be the time. That's where size and type of crate my help you.

The chicks absorb the yolk before they hatch so they can go over 72 hours before they need to eat or drink. So you are not under pressure to go quickly. Besides, you will probably have food and water in there.

Some of my hatches are over within 16 hours of the first one hatching. Some have drug into the third day. My longest was when a chick hatched late Monday and the hen did not bring the chicks off the nest until Friday morning, about 80 hours after the first one hatched. Some people go by the clock for this but I don't. That's why I consider this a hard question. All I can suggest is pay attention to the hen and chicks and use your best judgment.


I have electric netting like that. How big is the area inside your electric netting? I have over 2,000 square feet. I think the size of your area will make a difference.

The full-sized fowl chicks can get through mine until they are around 7 weeks of age. Some of my broody hens keep their chicks close. Other broodies are a lot more relaxed and let their chicks roam more. A few times I've seen chicks go through the fence but when the broody calls they come back.

I've had a couple of broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks of age. I've had some broodies not wean theirs until after 2 months, too big to get through the netting. Also, I sometimes have brooder raised chicks that I might let range with my flock at 5 weeks of age. A lot of these chicks that are on their own can get through the netting if they want to and some do. Most don't. I don't know why. Each brood is different and each flock has its own dynamics.

Sorry, I got busy and forgot.
The hen/nest is currently occupying 1/2 of the crate. There is food and water.
It’s a wire crate. A golf ball will not pass through the wires (I was told that’s the test)
Half the eggs have hatched thus far. I know a few eggs went cold when another hen bullied mama before I moved her.
We’re giving it through tomorrow.