Back with a few more questions..

[blatham00]

[/IMG]I recently posted that I had my first broody mama.. after a long awaited time, she finally hatched one chick. Mama and baby are both doing great. I have them in a brooder separate from the big coop. The coop and brooder both go into our big run. I let my flock out yesterday and opened the door to let mama and baby explore. My roo met the baby for the first time and pecked it twice. For fear of the little one being harmed I closed the pen off and let mama and baby explore while the rest of the flock free ranged. Should I just try again in a controlled setting so I can get him away if he continues to be ugly? I don't want him to kill the baby.
My second question is, I considered getting a couple more babies from my local feed store to add in with the new baby so it won't be lonely. Will the mama accept it? Is it add bad idea? This is all new to me. Any advice will be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance.

 

[blatham00]

Meet peep

 

[chickens really]

You have a two day window when chicks hatch to introduce new ones....Her hormones are still raging to mother and them she goes into protection mode......I think your past the introduction time...The chick will be fine alone with Mom.....keep separated ...other birds do not like peeping.....


Cheers!!.... Cute photo.....

 

[blatham00]

Good to know. Yes we are def past the 2 day window. I just didn't want the lil fella to be lonely. I will keep letting my flock free range during the day and let mom and baby explore the pen. Hate to keep the locked in the brooder all the time. It feels inhumane to me.

 

[chickens really]

Good to know. Yes we are def past the 2 day window. I just didn't want the lil fella to be lonely. I will keep letting my flock free range during the day and let mom and baby explore the pen. Hate to keep the locked in the brooder all the time. It feels inhumane to me.

They are totally happy just Mom and Chick....she will teach him all it needs to know...He loves mom and is not lonely ...

If you have a private pen they will be happy...

So cute!!!

 

[chickens really]

I have two chicks with my broody she hatched...They have more fun with Mom than each other.....She loves the Chicks and they love Mom.....

Awesome......Best of luck... It never mattered if its one or six Chicks if they are raised by the Hen.....


Cheers!

 

[blatham00]

I have two chicks with my broody she hatched...They have more fun with Mom than each other.....She loves the Chicks and they love Mom.....

Awesome......Best of luck... It never mattered if its one or six Chicks if they are raised by the Hen.....


Cheers!

It cracks me up to go out and see the baby perched on the mamas back like she's the queen.. and watching mom break up pieces of food and call baby over to eat it. It's fascinating.

 

[chickens really]

I have two chicks with my broody she hatched...They have more fun with Mom than each other.....She loves the Chicks and they love Mom.....

Awesome......Best of luck... It never mattered if its one or six Chicks if they are raised by the Hen.....


Cheers!

It cracks me up to go out and see the baby perched on the mamas back like she's the queen.. and watching mom break up pieces of food and call baby over to eat it. It's fascinating.

Yes, the one of the chicks sits on The Hens back....the other is under her wing with its head popping out....So cute.....Hens are fantastic and I think Chicks do so much better if raised from Mom than in a brooder.....They seem so much healthier and happy!!!!

Cheers to all broody Hens raising chicks!

 

[azygous]

I was in a similar situation several years ago when a broody hatched a single chick at the same time I brought home five new chicks I had previously ordered. The "window" was there, but the broody was adamant against accepting any new chicks she hadn't sat and hatched herself. She went at the five new ones as if possessed by a demon. I snatched up all six chicks, including hers, and raised them all myself as I wanted them to be a cohesive unit.

You may have the proper "window", but it doesn't always follow that the broody is willing to cooperate.

 

[chickens really]

Of course it's not always successful .......dealing with any animals adopting others is a gamble.....some Hens will take Chicks 5 days later??
As a rule it is a two day window.....

Anyways......

Cheers!