Brooding Hen, Leave Chicks or Take Them?

[joeyschicks]

I have a hen brooding for the first time (actually I have 3 brooding for the first time). I also have chicks inside the house that I ordered, and have another batch coming that will be day olds around the same time my broody hatches hers.

Do I leave the chicks with her or take them in to the heat lamps, I have a seperate area inside away from the others where they can be raised safely. What could happen if I leave the new chicks with her, I have never done this brooding chicken thing before.

And if I take the chicks away, should I be offering her more fertilized eggs or an older (1 week old) chicks to raise?


All suggestions are appreciated, I have 7 hens for laying, and of those 3 have suddenly went broody and refuse to lay any more eggs until theirs hatch. The rest of my new chicks are meat chicks.

 

[fowlmood]

I would leave the little ones with Momma hen when they hatch. Believe me, watching a mother take care of her little ones is amazing. She'll know what to do. Sometimes we just don't give mother nature the credit she deserves. She'll fiercely protect them and keep them warm. Once you see how cute it is when those little heads are pecking out from behind her wing you'll know you did the right thing. Sounds like you've got plently of others to take care of, let the hens help you out. Good luck!!

 

[Southernbelle]

I always leave the chicks with Mama Hen - it's her reward for all the hard work and there's just something so right about a mother with her babies. It's so much easier to let the mother brood them - maintains the perfect temp, shows them what to eat, no cleaning a brooder box and integrates the babies in the flock. In fact, I'd give her as many of your brooder babies as she can handle!