Broody Hatched her first chick, now what?

[Littell2Meadows]

Our Broody Hen just hatched one of the 4 eggs we let her keep. Now what? Do we leave them with the hens and try to get them to eat chick food before the hens eat it, or do we take them away? When I was young we let the hens keep the chicks but I don't know how many of those survived to adult hood.

 

[forgetful]

The mother hen should protect her chicks from the rest of the flock. A mother hen is normally at the top of the pecking order while she has her chicks. As for food, the mother hen will protect them in that instance also.

 

[Littell2Meadows]

So we decided to make a nursery in a small section of the coop to put the young'uns in for the time being until they are no longer owl bait.