Question about allowing broody hen to raise a clutch - how do you integrate her & chicks back into f

[Kelly G]

I have several chickens that go seriously broody each year, and I'm considering letting one of them raise a clutch this time around.

IF I do this, I have a metal dog crate that I have put hardware cloth around on all sides, and I will place this inside the coop where she lives with two other hens and a roo.

So after the chicks hatch...then what? What do I do next? How long do I need to keep the chicks away from the other hens and rooster? How many chicks can a hen keep safe?

I'd like to hear everyone's input

 

[Cargo]

Keep them separate till they are pretty much full grown.

 

[Eggcessive]

I just went through this with my mille fleur hen who hatched 2 mixed breed babies. Mine were all out of the coop for 5 weeks, then I brought Mom and babies who were big by then into an XL dog pen in the middle of the big coop. Mom was wanting rid of the babies before, so next am she went out into coop, and babies stayed in the cage for 2 weeks with food, water, and a roost. After that I opened their door and they bolted out to mingle. For a couple of days they were run back into the cage, but were only pecked to establish order. They still are at the bottom of pecking order after 2 weeks of freedom and way bigger than mom, but have not been hurt. Mom got pecked for a few days, but is low on pecking order anyway. You just need to watch everybody and step in to rescue them in case they get hurt. Most times it works out

 

[Suechick]

I don't know how the rooster will respond, but I have a mamma with chicks on the floor of our coop and the other hens are VERY respectful of her. We had them together from day 1, I watched carefully for the first few days but they did fine. It depends on the individuals in the flock and how aggressive they might be. Another of mine raised a clutch last year, we kept her separated for 4 weeks, there were no problems bringing her and the chicks into the flock at that time.

 

[BirdyMe]

My chicken coop is right next to my duck coop, and inside the duck coop, I have an elevated, enclosed pen that we call the "Condo". I put hens and their broods in their until the chicks don't need the mothers. Then, I let the mothers out to run with the other chickens. I start letting the chicks out of the condo and into the duck coop to run for the day, and after a few days of that, I'll open up the duck coop so they can run with everyone else. I let them sleep in the condo for a few more nights, and then I take the plunge and put them in the chicken coop for the night. There's always some bickering, but they work it out.

 

[Kelly G]

Thanks, guys!!! This is just what I needed to know! It's kind of what I already do with the chicks I hatch in the 'bator.