Baby chicks - advice please!

[Kirstyaa]

Need help! 11 baby chicks appeared in the garden today. We didn't realise one hen had been missing as some roam and some sleep in the coop. The hen seems to be handling them ok, but i'm worried with it being this time of year that they won't be warm enough just sleeping under the hen under a bush.
I have a neighbour who may be able to lend me a box with heater, but will the hen be ok if i take all her babies away? Are the better left alone?
The chicks look small - maybe just 2 days old.
I live in England - weather is fairly mild at the moment during the day, but nights are cold. Being England, the weather could change over night however!

 

[tiffanyh]

I would tend to thick they would be better off with mom. Is there anyway to put mom and the chicks in a heated area???? A small coop or shed where you can run an cord and hang a heat lamp? If not, I would think she would do an okay job keeping warm when they are small. She'll take better care of them probably and you wont have to "worry" about a brooder set up and taking tehm out for exercise, and intergrating them into the new flock, etc.

See what everyone else thinks.

 

[Kirstyaa]

Thanks for your reply.

I phoned my neighbour and he said the mum would look after them, but they should have a coop to go into at night, just for them. I converted an old insulated play shed of my sisters and made them up a cosy home.

Getting them in was a nightmare though, because there are so many of them, the hen couldn't watch them all at once, so it was easy enough getting the chicks, but the hen did not want to be caught! I got her eventually though, and she settled back in quickly. Poor things - i felt awful, they sounded so distressed!

I've made a wire gate to keep them in when the shed door is open during the day to give them air, but i'm going to leave them in there for a few days so they get used to it.

That sound ok to all you chicken experts?

I got a little glimpse of them all this morning, drinking and eating and clucking around before they went back under mum. They're so cute!

 

[nccatnip]

That looks like a nice set up. I am sure they will be fine and happy all together with no worries. Have fun watching them grow up!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Scrambled Egg]

What a sweet suprise to find all those babies!! I love it! Congrats and I'm certain you and the hen will be great "mums" (as you Brits say!) together!! I think that is so cute!!!!!!

 

[seminolewind]

That was a good idea. And you have a beautiful hen! Karen

 

[Kirstyaa]

Thank you for all your kind comments!

I let them out to roam today for the first time, and they put themselves back to bed - so i'm happy, and they're doing well!