Baby chick...born and raised "in the coop" by mama

[chicken stu]

Just thought I would post this item I thought very interesting.I had a hen that sat on 1 egg this past early summer and was successful in hatching it.I went to my enclosed coop and run area and noticed one baby huddled next to mama.The rest of my flock including my adult rooster did not mess with the baby and were quite carefull around it.After 2 days mama taught it how to get in and out of the coop area and within 2 weeks it was up on the roost with the rest of the crew.My only aid was to provide water for the little one as it was too small to reach my waterer.Mother hen would break the food up in smaller pieces for the baby and scratch for goodies.No light or heat or extra attention was given to this baby chick and now,almost fully grown, it is born and raised naturally.I enjoyed how well it was cared for and it has a good mom.The hen that sat on this single egg was incubated by me 2 years ago but amazingly with its natural inner knowledge it was able to raise and sustain the baby.Mother nature is quite amazing!

 

[kipper]

Ahhhhh!

 

[littlegip]

Awwww how sweet ..congrats

 

[Mahonri]

I wouldn't dare do that.

I've had more broodies this summer than I would ever care to have.

I had no idea that W/BW Ameraucanas would be so BROODY!

 

[jeanniejayne]

What a lovely story! I was just saying to my huband today that I wondered if an incubator-born Mom would know what to do with a baby. Now I know! Love the "picture" of the wee babe on the roost with all the big guys.

 

[Tropical Chook]

Yes, nature is amazing. I have eight 3 month old chickens that were raised in the same way. They grew up in the run/coop with all the others and there has never been any issues. At the moment, I have a broody sitting on six shipped eggs, and she's also in the same run/coop. If any hatch, they will also grow up together with all the rest as I believe it helps them to become part of the flock/family. Just as with you, I've noticed older hens and even roosters behave themselves around baby chicks.

 

[PunkinPeep]

My broody is tromping around the yard with 8 little ones right now, about a week old. They're perfectly beautiful ( i never get tired of baby chicks and broody mamas ), and the other hens are totally respectful. I've never had a problem from the adult chickens with new hen-raised babies.

 

[Tropical Chook]

I know how you feel. I've given up on hoping for eggs because with the native Thai chickens I have, all you need to do is show them a picture of an egg and the buggers go broody. At the moment, I have one which is hell bent on being a Mom to eight birds which are about three months old, and they weren't even hers. Their real Mom is currently sitting on six shipped eggs, another hen has now gone broody as well and is sharing the nest in the hope she'll get a turn to sit on the eggs. So, that leaves me with two more, and both have gone on strike.....lol.