Amazed while watching hen take care of chicks

[donrae]

Having chicks in the flock is actually one of the tests I put a rooster through before deciding he's a keeper. If he's at all aggressive toward a chick, he's not going to live here.

My silkie rooster was just actively co-parenting yesterday. I have a pen with a two broodies. Alpha hen's chicks are 2+ weeks old. Beta hens chicks just hatched. Chicks got a little confused, and Beta was intimidated by Alpha....it was confusing for everyone for a while. But Glen, the rooster, kept an eye on Beta's chicks and even fed them from his beak, snuggled down with them and kept Alpha away from them while Beta was figuring things out--she was torn between her already hatched chicks and the remaining eggs. Today, everyone's sorted out and fine.

 

[chelseajgoss]

awe how sweet! My roosters not mean, but ive head of his breed getting a little aggressive. Black copper maran. But im testing a few of my eggs in my new incubator this week! Also, i live in arizona, you think this time of uear would be too cold for a momma and babies to be outside? It doesnt lly get below 40 in the winter. I figured i could just put in a heat lamp?

 

[wamtazlady]

I have let the hen take complete charge of raising the chicks. So far she is doing way better than I could have imagined. She knew, using her instincts when the chicks were ready to go outside and when they were ready to sleep in the coop. She's kept them safe from the other hens and I find that amazing. When I tried to integrate 5 younger hens with my girls last year the new girls were pecked by the older girls for months. Yet, these little 4 week old chicks are not being pecked at all. I was sure the geese were going to kill those babies but decided to wait things out and see what happened. The chicks just stay away from the geese although they are all in the same large pen. I'm sure the hen taught them to do that by following her example.

The only "special" thing I did was putting the hen and chicks into the screened porch when they were first hatched. I felt they needed the extra safety. I didn't even give her a nest. They spent the nights in an old brick fireplace. When I propped the door open she took them outside in a couple days, and they continued to sleep in the screened porch for another couple weeks.

I worried when we had a couple nights that went down into the 20s when the chicks were only a couple weeks old. Mama hen kept them warm. In the early cold mornings they were all running around eating and drinking and not caring about the cold. Once I saw the hen stoop down, spread her wings and the babies warmed up under her for a few minutes. Then everyone was out eating and drinking again. The chicks are completely comfortable with our fall weather.

Having raised chicks in a brooder and now having let a hen raise her own chicks, I much prefer letting a hen do her own thing. She's smart. She knows exactly what to do and how to do it. Those 4 week old chicks are already accepted as part of the flock with no pecking or problems. they are free ranging during the day and finding their own bugs. It's just amazing.

Now I am just hoping they are not all cockerels. Any pullets in the batch will be the perfect age to start laying in Feb or Mar.

 

[stellagirl]

How amazing! God is so good!!! I can't wait for one of my girls to go broody. How old are they before that happens?

 

[JaeG]

How amazing! God is so good!!! I can't wait for one of my girls to go broody. How old are they before that happens?

It all depends on the individual hen and some never do. I've had broody bantams but my light breed chickens have never shown any interest. My Wyandotte bantams spend so much time being broody during summer that they lay for me all winter. I've let my OEGBs hatch eggs and raise their babies and it was amazing. Just recently our 8 month old Booted Bantam went broody. She sat for 10 weeks (I didn't really want any chicks at the time) and would've kept sitting for as long as it took for something to start peeping under her! So I caved and got her some newly hatched Silkie chicks. I'd never brood babies myself - it's so much easier under a willing broody.

 

[stellagirl]

Maybe I need to look into getting a few Bantam hens! We have 5 RIR's, all great layers but none show any interest in being broody. Enjoy your baby chicks and thank you for your reply!

 

[wamtazlady]

I peeked into the coop tonight after everyone had gone inside for the night. Took me awhile to find the chicks. They were nearly completely hidden, on a roost, under their Mom's body and wings. Not sure how they all fit in such a small space. I don't have to teach the little ones to perch. Mom has already taught them to sleep there.

 

[drumstick diva]

I love reading about great broody mamas - so many folks think chickens are just stupid. Well they must have a lot of very smart hormones wedged in there . I have heard many times about really fantastic silkie roos - staying with broody and being a hatching coach. Wish some humans were so thoughtful and devoted.