Baby chicks hatched outside with broody hen

[citychicks99]

The mother will protect the chicks from the weather. (I have had hens raise chicks in the winter with temps in the teens F). Obviously predators have not found her yet, but is she in a place that is secure from predators? Also many people allow hens to raise the chicks in the flock. I separate hens while they sit on eggs, but let them return to the flock shortly after hatch. As far as moving her just catch her and the chicks after dark. If the bush is a problem put on some gloves and grab her during the day with an assistant to grab the chicks. Chances are she will squat on the chicks and be easy to catch.

I'm not too sure... She has been hiding pretty well but the other hen did find her nest. I've seen rats and mice last year but they were only interested in the chick feed. A cat also came in our garden but it just wanted the mice. I haven't seen any other predators. I think our other chickens might be a bigger threat. The broody hen is a new addition and our first hen gets territorial since she was our only hen for a while. I saw her peck at the broody hen, especially when she tries to eat. She would take her food even if there is other food around. I don't know how the hen would act around the baby chicks. I'm also concerned about the wet weather.

Did your chickens start moving into the coop once they got old enough?

If a hen is done hatching, will she take her chicks to free-range? They keep going back to her nest, which makes me think that she might be trying to hatch more. Tomorrow would be day 24, or the third day since the first chick came out. We want to move them inside the coop so they don't get wet. If she has more viable eggs, do I just place them near her with some shavings, and she'll sit on them?

 

[Paz]

If a hen is done hatching, will she take her chicks to free-range? They keep going back to her nest, which makes me think that she might be trying to hatch more. Tomorrow would be day 24, or the third day since the first chick came out. We want to move them inside the coop so they don't get wet. If she has more viable eggs, do I just place them near her with some shavings, and she'll sit on them?

Most likely she will take the chicks free ranging, but close to the nest. She keeps them close so she can warm them when they’re cold.
Usually they stop trying to hatch more after just a couple of days.
If she’s still broody, she would sit on basically any egg you will give her.
If you catch one chick and put it in the coop, it will scream until the mother hen arrives, she will then try to enter with the rest of the chicks.
You may also just leave the small coop’s door open and get the food and water inside, she is sure to enter if it’s close by the previous feed place.
I’m only talking according to my experience.
Good luck

 

[citychicks99]

It's been really wet here so we had to move them inside a dog cage in the coop where it's warm and dry. It's not raining anymore but the ground is wet. The baby chicks are able to get out of the dog cage but they don't go far. I feel bad for the mom because she wants to get out but I don't know if it's a good idea to have them walking around in the mud and I don't know if she'll try and hide back in the bushes.