Are new chicks better off with mom?

[Msbear]

That's just ignorance. Two little chicks would be so much better off with the comfort of mom. To go through all this hard work to give them a better "chance" of survival with a perfectly capable and lovable heat source that misses them dearly

 

[mradam]

I agree. But, all I can do is provide the best home possible for them, since he won't listen to reason.

 

[swtangel321]

Agree with Msbear and austinhart123, you should tell him to stop hatching chicks !!!! Not fair to screw with a broodys head like that !!!! Hope she gets over it without to much stress !!! At the least he/you could of built a brooder for both the chicks and the mama !!!! Would of been so much better !!!! Some people make me so sick !!!!

 

[mradam]

Yeah. He annoys the snot out of me sometimes, too. I did offer to build a big brooder for the hen too, but he didn't want to have a hen living in his barn/workshop. He's so backwards about things. ANY animal is safer and better off with their mom. AND, it's EASIER... something everyone should like. But I digress...

Thanks for your comments/posts all. Like I said, I will be checking on the chick as often as possible... and if I think they are not being treated well, I will deal with him harshly.

 

[bossynbella]

I think you guys are over reacting We use our silkies to hatch out chicks all the time and never leave them with them because of many reasons, 1.Offen they do leave the chick and go off on there own especially first time mothers. 2. We have actually had the moms kill the babies during the first few days. 3. IF there are any other eggs the mom will leave those with the first chicks that hatch sometimes our have hatched almost a week apart we would loose all those other chicks for just one.

Our silkies are not hurt by this, they bully the other hens for a day or so and then thats it they go back to laying again.

Just my opinion I know I am not the only one who does it this way I learned to do this from here. I just feel more comfortable caring for the chicks myself, plus they are much friendlier that way. Mama hens don't usually want you anywhere near there babies

Melissa

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
She wasnt being a bad mom !!! Some people dont have an issue with it. I think it's un fair that a hen sits on a nest for 21 days and then people take the babies away (unless its for a good reason). They work so hard and stress them selfs out so much to hatch the eggs, I think they should have the chance to raise there prize. But, to each there own I guess !!!!! Plus in this case there was 1 chick (in till yesterday) it would of been a very lonley chick all by its self !!!!!

 

[beautifulbirds]

NATURE INTENDED for the babies to be with the mother or we'd have something different happening. Also, chicks do much better with the hen because she TEACHES them what to eat, what to look out for and a myriad other things that we humans KNOW NOTHING about. The good thing is that the mother will forget quite quickly if she is put with a rooster and given feed and the opportunity to be footloose and fancy free. Pity though, after all they are HER CHICKS.

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
RIGHT ON !!!!! Couldn't of said it better myself !!!!!

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
First off whoever told you life was gonna be fair lied to you.
Maybe he really wants these chicks, and doesnt want to take the chance on MOM deciding to peck the babies for no apparent reason and winding up with no babies.

if he wants them to be friendly he is better off taking them away from mom, true mom teaches them to eat drink, scratch for food, but that will come naturally to them, how do you think all the chicks from hatcheries survive? Mom also teaches them to get away from the owner, and once that is set in thier head, its hard to retrain them to be friendly towards the owner.

 

[beautifulbirds]

Well it's not rocket science, now is it?