How to prepare for chicks!

[Morte239]

I am hoping that someone could help me out. I am not prepared to raise chicks and need some quick solutions!

We were going to do this when the weather warmed up and we could build another coop but a fox has Mixed things up a little. He killed a few of our hens and then took out the rooster. Two of our hens went broody shortly after he died and I guess it was now or never to raise these chicks this year!

Can we have two broody hens raising these chicks? they are in nesting boxes in the cop right by each other. One went broody a few days after the other one. I just candled the eggs and took out the bad ones- I think. Now I am not sure what to do or how to separate them or if I should separate them from the other remaining four hens. I really don’t know where to put the other 4 except in the outside run but it’s still pretty cold in wisconsin. Also can I have two broody hens or should I give them all to one chicken?

I got chicken starter so I’m ready for when they hatch. Do you usually let them outside to free range? Will they be fine penned up for a while in the coop till they are big enough and what is that age? Should I clean out the coop? Do they need special bedding? Such a noob!

I really don’t want a chick massacre I will Feel so bad! Any advice would be great. I’m not even exactly sure how long they have been incubated. It’s hard to go out right now and get the things I need because of this virus so any advice would be great to make due with what we have!! Thank you

 

[aart]

I just candled the eggs and took out the bad ones- I think.

How long have the been setting?

Now I am not sure what to do or how to separate them or if I should separate them from the other remaining four hens. I really don’t know where to put the other 4 except in the outside run but it’s still pretty cold in wisconsin. Also can I have two broody hens or should I give them all to one chicken?

Might depend on your coop, many let broodies set with the flock.
Just have to mark eggs and remove any freshly laid ones daily.

 

[Morte239]

How long have the been setting?

Might depend on your coop, many let broodies set with the flock.
Just have to mark eggs and remove any freshly laid ones daily.

I just looked at the picture of when the rooster died.. somewhere between 20 and 14 days. She left her nest once and I forgot to mark the date on the new eggs when she moved to a different nest box. I wasn’t sure how long she had been off the nest and the eggs felt cold so we tossed them and let her start over again.

 

[Morte239]

As of today, I now have three broody chickens. One came in a kicked her off the nest and she moved boxes. I ended up putting her back in her box and moved the other broody chicken to a different spot. Now half of my chickens are broody. Should I split all the eggs up between them? Should i just give the very determined buff all the eggs? She has been broody for a very long time.

 

[aart]

I just looked at the picture of when the rooster died.. somewhere between 20 and 14 days. She left her nest once and I forgot to mark the date on the new eggs when she moved to a different nest box. I wasn’t sure how long she had been off the nest and the eggs felt cold so we tossed them and let her start over again.

There's a good chance the eggs are no longer fertile.

One came in a kicked her off the nest and she moved boxes. I ended up putting her back in her box and moved the other broody chicken to a different spot. Now half of my chickens are broody. Should I split all the eggs up between them? Should i just give the very determined buff all the eggs? She has been broody for a very long time.

This is why I separate the broody with a wire wall in the coop, they are much easier to manage that way.
I would break all but maybe one broody.
How long has the one been broody?