Where do you keep your broody hens and babies?

[Jenny d]

Hello all,
I am hoping to put some eggs under a broody silkie any day now, I was just wondering how other people keep mom and babies separate from the rest of the flock, or if they even do.
Previously I have set up an old dog crate in the center of my coop with mama and babies until they feather out a bit.
Now my old crate is worse for wear and I was thinking of building something more suited to that purpose.
What do other people do? Separate mom and babies completely? Don't separate at all?
Pictures would be especially helpful.
Thanks.

[Killerbunny]

My girl is a spoiled old lady. At the moment she is in a corner of of one of the small coops behind the nest boxes. The others don't bug her but soon I will close up that coop to the others. When she brings them out she will discipline any other hen that gets too close. SO far this has worked but I hope I didn't jinx it.

[Kbr42]

I bring my broody girl inside just before lockdown. They are in the house for about a week...less for standards then out to the hen house during the day and inside at night until they want to spend the night with the 'big girls'. Then it's outside from then on. Works for me. Good luck.

[KimChick]

I have a broody hen right now. So far, I have taken away a couple of eggs from her. However, I'm pondering whether or not to allow her to stay broody, enclose her in the hen house in the barn, because that is where she is, and see what happens. Hmmm...

[KimChick]

The hen in question displayed broodiness again this morning, so I have isolated her in a makeshift pen. I'll get a photo of it. This morning DH made a 3-walled nesting area and plunked it down into the pen, then I put her in there. Then I put 2 eggs under her because that's how many I had taken away from her. I have also placed a small water fount and some food in the pen. So far, so good.

[Jaye]

I wasn't going to chime in because most of what I was going to contribute to this conversation has already been said, I do want to add that I don't believe that it's necessary to isolate her at this point . It's good for her to be able to get up and do her business (AKA the infamous broody ), stretch her legs, eat, drink, dust-bathe, either by herself or with her flock mates, and then return to her clutch. When my Silkie hen was still an active broody (she's ancient and retired now) she would get up and about for about 20 minutes max most days. Enough time for her self-care, but not long enough to have an impact on the incubation of the eggs. Broody hens will lose condition during their time incubating and hatching eggs, so I think that giving hens the freedom to come and go is really beneficial and will minimize loss of condition.
I only provided a more secure place within the coop for the first week at most after the chicks hatched. Mama and babies were separated by physical fence barrier so that the rest of the flock could see the newcomers, but were safe. Mama hen usually indicated to me that she was ready to bring the new chicks into the main flock after about 3-4 days. She always let the other flock members know that she would not tolerate any aggression towards her babies.

[KimChick]

Thanks Jaye.
I put 2 eggs that aren't hers under her and she has accepted them, so that's a good start.
On the other side of the wall (an original straw bin) is our older rescue Cochin whose platform is up against the inside enclosure for the chickens.
Below is the quickly constructed pen. On the left and at the back are Styrofoam sheets to minimize a breeze coming through the barn. For now, it is what it is and we'll see how it goes.

[KimChick]

On another thread about broody hens, I posted that the hen above is, pretty sure, on lockdown starting today.
And I have to figure out how to let her out with her chicks and where to keep them as they grow. Hmmm.... maybe in the barn hen house that is blocked off and now a 'room' with roosts and laying boxes all on its own.

[Kbr42]

On another thread about broody hens, I posted that the hen above is, pretty sure, on lockdown starting today.
And I have to figure out how to let her out with her chicks and where to keep them as they grow. Hmmm.... maybe in the barn hen house that is blocked off and now a 'room' with roosts and laying boxes all on its own.

Just a thought why don't you build a door where she is sitting. That chicken wire looks big enough to put a small door in and then she can stay there and you can open and close the door as she gets moving with the chicks.

[KimChick]

On another thread about broody hens, I posted that the hen above is, pretty sure, on lockdown starting today.
And I have to figure out how to let her out with her chicks and where to keep them as they grow. Hmmm.... maybe in the barn hen house that is blocked off and now a 'room' with roosts and laying boxes all on its own.

Just a thought why don't you build a door where she is sitting. That chicken wire looks big enough to put a small door in and then she can stay there and you can open and close the door as she gets moving with the chicks.

Hmmm... that would be a thought if there is a next time I let a hen go broody. But I don't think that now is a very good time to disturb her with putting in a door. The eggs are due to hatch tomorrow, or into Tuesday.