Broody hen crushed chick. Day 21. Baby chirping and trying to hatch

[Peas4Ducks]

Since then ive had around 300 layer hens. I sell eggs at a farmers market, so they do pay their way. I have very safe coops and runs, they free-range through pasture and woods which cuts down the feed bill, & lgdogs which patrol and protect during the day.

Amazing. It sounds like you & your hens are living a dream life!! Though I can also see how that would be very tiring. I wish you many easily broken broodies!

 

[Peas4Ducks]

And also @Rohini0821 I hope your little chick thrives

 

[Rohini0821]

I used to take the chicks away too, because i thought they would be safer inside than outside. But then i saw how sad the mama hens were to lose their chicks. After considering how much of their normal busy chicken lives they had sacrificed to set on and hatch their eggs, i took pity and built many chick-safe pens covered in 1/2 hardware cloth. That allowed the mamas to contently & safely raise their babies. It creates a lot of extra work though, & now i break many more broodies each year than i allow to hatch. I used to let all hens that went broody hatch chicks. I loved watching the mamas with their babies. But the year i had 40 hens hatch and raise 400 chicks was the year i said no more. All those mamas completely wore me out!

Wow- you have me beat st 9 broody hens at once. Im thinking of different ways to approach

Good plan! I'm learning all the time on here...

Me too! I love this group and webpage- best thing I ever found to help my flock thrive.

 

[Rohini0821]

And also @Rohini0821 I hope your little chick thrives

It just hatched! Fingers crossed it does well. Little one is with mama in a separate area.