Baby chicks in my coop......what should i do? Please answer!!!

[Jolyn]

Maybe this should have been put in this forum....

I had left about five eggs in the coop for the past month......my silkie hen had been sitting on them for awhile but i wasn't sure if she was broodie...she would get up occasionally and take a walk and etc.......Well i went out today and there are 3 baby chicks under her.....Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Now here is my question......They are in a coop with the rooster....he has free access to the run and coop.....Will he bother them once they start running around?

Also the food and water is up on a ledge...the babies could not get up there if they tried.

Should i bring them in? I would prefer to leave them with mama if i could.

Please let me kwow asap.....

Thanks so much,
Jodie

 

[KellyHM]

Hi, every situation is different depending on your chickens. My rooster is very good with the babies and will feed them and take care of them. Some hens will pick on babies that aren't theirs. You do need to move food and water down where they can get to it. I would just keep a close eye and see how they do. I let mine raise their babies with everyone else unless they're getting picked on.

 

[ellieroo]

Surprise from Mother Nature!!

Rooster should be fine food and water need to be placed within chick reach.Careful with water as the wee ones drown easy. My bantys are always having babies in out of the way spots! Enjoy!

 

[Bring]

I am by no means and expert, but what I've heard is that the mother will take care of the babies and keep other chickens away from them including the Roo. I have also seen pictures of Roosters taking over as mother! You should get more opinions but I think as long as mama is being a good mama, it's okay to leave the chicks in the coop. Lower the food and water or get them their own where they can reach it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This thread might help you. it gives a few different people's opinions on your topic.

Raise with flock? thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=215937&p=1

Now I'll give my opinion.

There are risks either way you go. In my opinion, a whole lot depends on how much room mama has to work with. If space is kind of tight, you might be better off separating them, but I really like mama raising them with the flock. Mama takes care of the integration issues. That saves a lot of headaches later and, I think, is safer for the chicks. Hens have been raising chicks with flocks for thousands of years.

You mentioned a concern about the rooster. A good rooster will take care of all members of his flock. It is true that not all roosters are good, but there are several posts on this forum where a rooster has helped mama keep her chicks warm and even one about a rooster that took over raising the chicks when a predator got mama. That rooster behavior is not the normal, but I'd worry more about the other hens than the rooster. And a good mama will protect her babies from other hens or a bad rooster.

I would put food and water at ground level where the chicks can get to it, preferably in an area the grown chickens cannot get to. Maybe use a milk crate with holes cut in it the chicks can get through or build a crate with wooden slats with openings big enough for the chicks. About 2-1/2" seems to be about the right size.

 

[MidnightChickenLover]

Depends on the rooster, some roosters will actually rear chicks themselves.
and
The chicks need food and water, so they will need to access them.

I think it would be safest to bring them inside, I have seen many hens attack chicks and kill them, plus the chicks will go out of runs and find danger very easily. There usually isn't a problem moving the hen in too, especially with a silkie hen.

 

[RockwaterFarm]

I would bring a seperate water and food just for them and put it in a creep feeder. That way the older chickens can't get at their food. It's fine to leave the chicks with their mom. as long as its not too cold. the mom should protect them from other chickens. just watch out that the don't run through the fence if yor chickens are in a run, they're usually too dumb to find their way back in. It would actually be the best if you could raise the chicks with the older chickens. that way they don't have to go through introducing them when they're older.

 

[Sillystunt]

I will not respone until you post PICTURES

 

[turtleshell]

I don't have a response, just thought I would jump on the band wagon as I am in a similar situation. Mama hatched 3 days ago, I had her separated while she was sitting on the eggs. She seems to be itching to get out and join everybody but I wasn't sure whether to move her into the big pen with the rest of the flock but in a sectioned off area or let just go with the flow. My biggest concern was, my chickens have my whole yard to free range in all day and they come and go as they please into the pen to eat or drink. I wasn't sure if it was safe to put mama and her chicks into the big pen with the door open where the chicks or mama might decide they are ready to roam the yard or if I should lock them in the big pen which gives them more room than they have now. Only problem with this is that the other chooks wouldn't be able to get to their feed or nesting boxes. These are my first chicks and I'm just like a protective, nervouse old mother, I'm not sure what to do. Ideally, I would like to just let her out to join the flock and decide what is best for her and her chicks, I've just wondering if it is safe to do so. I'm not worried about the other chooks bothering them, she is one super protective mean ole mother, the dog, the chooks, anyone or anything that comes near her at the moment cops it big time.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
With this statement, what are you worried about?