Should my new baby chicks stay with there mother or go in a box with a heat lamp?

[carson young]

Should my new chicks stay in the coop with there mother and the other chickens or should they go in a brooder with a heat lamp?

 

[Ridgerunner]

It is your choice. We all have different goals and different set-ups. There is not always one answer that is right for all of us. And you are dealing with living animals. No one can tell you for sure what will happen with your specific chickens in your specific conditions.

Chickens have been hatching eggs and raising chicks with the flock for thousands of years. Sometimes there are problems, but they are not extinct yet. Many of us on this forum have hens hatch and raise them with the flock. I do every time I get a broody.

A broody hen will usually protect her chicks. I have never had any kind of problem with a dominant rooster hurting the chicks. On the contrary, several of my dominant roosters have helped the hen take care of the chicks, but some just ignore them. Occasionally another hen or a non-dominate rooster will threaten a chick. Most of the time Mama has such a bad attitude about that the other chicken quickly learns that threatening a chick is not a healthy thing to do. I've had very few adult chickens actually go out of their way to try to harm the chicks and my broodies have always vigorously objected when they do, but others on this forum have had disasters. They are living animals. You can't know what will happen.

To me, one advantage to the hen raising the chicks is that Mama takes care of basic integration. When she weans those chicks, the rest of the flock accdepts them as flock members. It helps Mama do her job if she has enough room to work with. If space is tight, she will be more likely to have problems. But if space is tight and you decide to raise them yourself, you are very likely to have integration problems when they grow big enough for you to try to integrate them later. To me, either letting a broody raise them with the flock or integrating chickens goes much better if you have some extra space.

Just because a broody takes care of basic integration does not mean the chicks are home free. When she weans them, they are still at the bottom of the pecking order. The other hens may vigorously enforce their pecking order rights until the chicks mature enough to establish their position in the flock. If the younger chicks have enough room to get away from the other adult hens, it is not a big deal. But if space is tight, it can be a serious problem. I really do think space is a really important consideration for which way you go.

Something I've seen happen many times. I've seen two week old chicks leave Mama's protection and stand next to the other hens at the feeder. Sometimes the other hens ignore the chick, at least for a bit, but usually one will give the chick a peck to remind it that it is against proper chicken etiquette for a chicken that low in the pecking order to eat with its betters. That chick runs peeping and flapping back to Mama as fast as it can get there. Mama usually ignores this. I guess it takes a flock to teach proper flock etiquette. But if that hen tries to follow the chick to do it harm, Mama vigorously objects.

What is the right choice for you? I don't know. If you allow Mama to raise the chicks, either with the flock or in their own separate space, she will provide all the heat they need and will teach them to be chickens, but the chicks will not be as friendly as they would be if you raise them yourself and handle them every day.

Good luck, whichever way yoou choose.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

The chicks will be fine with their mother, she will keep them plenty warm!

 

[donrae]

Wow. What he said, exactly.

 

[CHICKAMOM]

I just had my 1st 2 chicks hatch over the weekend. I let one of my hens do her thing and I got 2 hatch out of 5 eggs. I am letting momma hen be a momma. My qustions are: Do i still put out chickstarter in the coop for her and babies, even though everyone else will eat it as well?
2nd.... Should I put a waterer closer to her nesting box for the chicks so they don't have to go as far to drink? The waterer is out in the main coop and the nesting boxes are in a smaller room with the roosts. And there is about a 6" lip the chickens have to jump up to get in and out of the roost/nesting room. My guess is I have to put food and water closer.
This is my 1st time having chicks! It's so exciting!

 

[song of joy]

Since I had no reply, and no luck unbroodying (is that a word?)my broodies, I bought a set of >week old chicks. The feed store suggested I wait until dark and set them under the mom. Said it was possible she'd take them in daylight. That was a big NO. She tried to peck one, so I'm waiting. They are in a puppy crate with a heat lamp and food and water. I need to build a pen for everyone. I have 2 × 4s and chicken wire. Any suggestions?

Not all broodies will foster chicks. If she's a proven broody - that is, has successfully raised chicks - she's more likely to accept them. When fostering chicks to a broody, the hen should be broody for at least two weeks, and the chicks should be no more than a day old. If the chicks are older than 1-2 days old, they may be afraid of her rather than imprint on her.

Last year I tried to foster day-old hatchery chicks to a buff orpington that had been broody for two weeks. Unfortunately, she attacked the chicks so I had to brood them myself. She was so focused on defending her eggs that she viewed the little chicks as intruders and tried to kill them.

Day-old chicks should be put under or right next to the broody hen at night. Be sure to chick them at first light in the morning to see if she has accepted them. If she has, she'll be clucking to them and letting them shelter under her wings. If she does not accept them, she'll either kill them (or attempt to kill them) or ignore them.

 

[carson young]

what about the other chickens, will they beet up on the chicks or will the mother protect them?

 

[Nava]

what about the other chickens, will they beet up on the chicks or will the mother protect them?

that you would have to keep an eye on, sometimes they just become part of the flock cause of the mother I guess, but other times they will kill day old chicks.

 

[ragerkid2]

Im interested in this post! I have a possible broody and I'm thinking of letting her hatch her own eggs!

 

[ragerkid2]

It is your choice. We all have different goals and different set-ups. There is not always one answer that is right for all of us. And you are dealing with living animals. No one can tell you for sure what will happen with your specific chickens in your specific conditions.
Chickens have been hatching eggs and raising chicks with the flock for thousands of years. Sometimes there are problems, but they are not extinct yet. Many of us on this forum have hens hatch and raise them with the flock. I do every time I get a broody.
A broody hen will usually protect her chicks. I have never had any kind of problem with a dominant rooster hurting the chicks. On the contrary, several of my dominant roosters have helped the hen take care of the chicks, but some just ignore them. Occasionally another hen or a non-dominate rooster will threaten a chick. Most of the time Mama has such a bad attitude about that the other chicken quickly learns that threatening a chick is not a healthy thing to do. I've had very few adult chickens actually go out of their way to try to harm the chicks and my broodies have always vigorously objected when they do, but others on this forum have had disasters. They are living animals. You can't know what will happen.
To me, one advantage to the hen raising the chicks is that Mama takes care of basic integration. When she weans those chicks, the rest of the flock accdepts them as flock members. It helps Mama do her job if she has enough room to work with. If space is tight, she will be more likely to have problems. But if space is tight and you decide to raise them yourself, you are very likely to have integration problems when they grow big enough for you to try to integrate them later. To me, either letting a broody raise them with the flock or integrating chickens goes much better if you have some extra space.
Just because a broody takes care of basic integration does not mean the chicks are home free. When she weans them, they are still at the bottom of the pecking order. The other hens may vigorously enforce their pecking order rights until the chicks mature enough to establish their position in the flock. If the younger chicks have enough room to get away from the other adult hens, it is not a big deal. But if space is tight, it can be a serious problem. I really do think space is a really important consideration for which way you go.
Something I've seen happen many times. I've seen two week old chicks leave Mama's protection and stand next to the other hens at the feeder. Sometimes the other hens ignore the chick, at least for a bit, but usually one will give the chick a peck to remind it that it is against proper chicken etiquette for a chicken that low in the pecking order to eat with its betters. That chick runs peeping and flapping back to Mama as fast as it can get there. Mama usually ignores this. I guess it takes a flock to teach proper flock etiquette. But if that hen tries to follow the chick to do it harm, Mama vigorously objects.
What is the right choice for you? I don't know. If you allow Mama to raise the chicks, either with the flock or in their own separate space, she will provide all the heat they need and will teach them to be chickens, but the chicks will not be as friendly as they would be if you raise them yourself and handle them every day.
Good luck, whichever way yoou choose.

Ahhhh, this had me scared to mix the babies to the other girls I might try to give her 3 chicks. I want friendly chickens. So I will hand raise most of the 12 im getting. Space will be tight once i put all the chicks into the coop. 3.5 sq ft. Im worried now :/