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I am constantly surprised by our little baby chick rearing enterprise. The chicks are now four weeks old, and the rooster is nearly as involved in teaching them as the mommy hen. They love cat kibbles, and we always put it up off the patio when we let the birds out of their chicken run. So, a...

Update: The three babies are three weeks old now, and doing fine so far. They go out with the flock in the morning and peck-a-peck all day. Mom and babies are the first into the coop at night. Again, thanks for all the insight and help. Man, this is the EASY way to raise chicks. I had a...

UPDATE: So far, so good. All your advice about when, how, etc. was spot on. Zero problems. The three are one week old today, and already out and about and learning from adoptive Mom. The only worry I have is local predators. I figured out how to keep them inside the chicken wire -- straw up...

Thanks much, that information is just what I needed! Great link to the pics, too. Now I have an idea what I might be looking for, and, in fact, have probably eaten a few fertile eggs... or thought they looked funny and pitched them (don't recall pitching any eggs, tho). Gave my neighbor four...

I have a small flock of hens and one rooster. The rooster is certainly doing his job, but, to date, I haven't seen any fertile eggs. How long after an egg is laid before it develops a visible embryo? I've been candling the eggs with a flashlight and have not seen anything, so they go in the...

Egg song? Is that what the tremendous din they raise before, during, and after laying is called? I figured before -- well, they are uncomfortable and know something's about to happen; during -- dang, it's happening and it smarts; after -- whew, that's over with, now everybody should be proud...

So far, so good. We waited until well after dark when all the others were on their roosts and then we quietly tucked the babies right under the broody hen. Other than growling at us a bit, she didn't seem to notice. We did remove the ceramic eggs we had put in early in the day for something...

Thanks for the prompt response. I think I'll go with my gut and just leave her where she's happy. We went ahead and picked up three chicks, one day old. There should be enough space under the laying boxes for our broody to deal with the chicks, and the other hens and rooster will be up on the...

Thanks so much for the info. I have one further question. She has been broody for a week now and all her brooding has been below the regular laying boxes in the hutch, Should I leave her there for at least the first night and slip the live chicks (2-3 days old) under her, or should I separate...

We have a hen gone broody, nothing is changing that. Our local chick supplier has new chicks this week, and I am wondering if I could put a couple "foreign" chicks in with her for her to mother. Is it likely she will mother them or kill them? What say you all? Title should read PROVIDE not Prove