Broody hen

[homestead 101]

I have an ester egger hen that hatched out four chicks. I have them all in a separate cage away from the main flock. There is wire on two sides, and I put the waterers for the main flock around the broody cage so they can still interact but not harm each other. My question is, when will the chicks not need the mother any more. And when can I put them with the main flock.

 

[ChickenKeep01]

you can put incubated chicks in a flock at about 6 weeks so i imagine it would be the same

 

[Pork Pie]

A momma hen will protect her chicks from the rest of the flock. In my experience, other flock members generally ignore chicks that were hatched in the main coop. I do not separate momma and chicks at all, and I have never lost a chick. Momma will decide when the chicks are old enough to look after themselves and you will know by her going to roost with the main flock (her chicks no longer needing her warmth).

Ct

 

[AustralorpsAU]

A momma hen will protect her chicks from the rest of the flock. In my experience, other flock members generally ignore chicks that were hatched in the main coop. I do not separate momma and chicks at all, and I have never lost a chick. Momma will decide when the chicks are old enough to look after themselves and you will know by her going to roost with the main flock (her chicks no longer needing her warmth).

Ct

Just a question. How do you feed the chicks different food while stopping the older ones from eating it? Thanks

 

[Ravynscroft]

Just a question. How do you feed the chicks different food while stopping the older ones from eating it? Thanks

Feeding them a Flock Raiser/All Flock feed works well... just add oyster shell on the side for the layer hens...

 

[homestead 101]

Feeding them a Flock Raiser/All Flock feed works well... just add oyster shell on the side for the layer hens...

 

[Pyxis]

Just a question. How do you feed the chicks different food while stopping the older ones from eating it? Thanks

RavynFallen has good advice, or you can also use a creep feeder to keep hens out of the chick feed and hang feeders with layer feed for the hens high enough up that the chicks can't reach it.

Here's an example of a creep feeder. The chicks can get through/under it to get to the feed but the hens can't.