PaigeWells
Chirping
It is going to be 17 (much lower then normal here) for the next 2 nights but 45 in the days, should I leave mama and her 3 out there where she is comfortable and familiar or move them inside to a dog crate for a few days? Here’s the details:
I had a broody hen that I could not break (Araucana) so I bought 3 babies yesterday from my local (family owned and run, honest, great people I trust) feed store. Babies hatched Wednesday, were bought Friday, introduced to “mama” Saturday. I kept them in a brooder box overnight Friday because I wanted first time mom to meet them in daylight and warmer temps, and under supervision. I read everything I could find here and went to lots of great video links. I am zone 6b in the mountains of western NC and it was 22 at my house last night. My coop is not heated, but is a large 16’x16’ wood shed with a dry concrete floor and 4” of shavings and accumulated etc from my 12 hens all winter. No drafts, very good ventilation, 4 windows, access to predator proof small run of 16’x8’ roofed and wrapped mostly in opaque plastic to block winter winds but let in sun. Mama is in a 3 bay nesting box inside a 3’x8’ fenced off quarantine cage in the coop under the poop board. She took to babies nicely but hasn’t gotten up off them yet. They have food and water but I don’t think babies can clear the 3” high lip of the nest box once they hop out to eat and drink so I planned to give her a few hours to acclimate and then remove the nest box, leaving a nice big pile of fresh shavings. I worry that at 17, if she lets one get out from under her in the night, it will die fast. Should I bring her inside, will that be too much and cause her to reject them? This is my and her first time with chicks and I really want this to work. (If she does reject them I have a temp brooder box standing by already warm but so far so good). Thanks!
I had a broody hen that I could not break (Araucana) so I bought 3 babies yesterday from my local (family owned and run, honest, great people I trust) feed store. Babies hatched Wednesday, were bought Friday, introduced to “mama” Saturday. I kept them in a brooder box overnight Friday because I wanted first time mom to meet them in daylight and warmer temps, and under supervision. I read everything I could find here and went to lots of great video links. I am zone 6b in the mountains of western NC and it was 22 at my house last night. My coop is not heated, but is a large 16’x16’ wood shed with a dry concrete floor and 4” of shavings and accumulated etc from my 12 hens all winter. No drafts, very good ventilation, 4 windows, access to predator proof small run of 16’x8’ roofed and wrapped mostly in opaque plastic to block winter winds but let in sun. Mama is in a 3 bay nesting box inside a 3’x8’ fenced off quarantine cage in the coop under the poop board. She took to babies nicely but hasn’t gotten up off them yet. They have food and water but I don’t think babies can clear the 3” high lip of the nest box once they hop out to eat and drink so I planned to give her a few hours to acclimate and then remove the nest box, leaving a nice big pile of fresh shavings. I worry that at 17, if she lets one get out from under her in the night, it will die fast. Should I bring her inside, will that be too much and cause her to reject them? This is my and her first time with chicks and I really want this to work. (If she does reject them I have a temp brooder box standing by already warm but so far so good). Thanks!
