sammi_lynn12
Songster
I have a hen who has been broody for going on four weeks now. I take her out to the food and water morning, afternoon, and evening time to make sure she is eating and drinking which she is but she will not give it a rest. Lol My boyfriend nonchalantly made the comment yesterday that "we should get more chickens" so of course I am over here plotting on whether I should get pullets getting ready to lay or baby chicks. Then I thought, maybe my broody hen will care for the chicks if I give them to her.
Well now I am thinking about the fact that I will more than likely have to separate her and the chicks and I don't really want the hassle of removing her from the flock and reintroducing down the road. I have a set up spacious enough for the chicks to be in the garage with a heat lamp until they are old enough to join the flock that I have used for my last two batches of chicks but it is not really an adequate enough of space for a full sized hen plus growing chicks.
Is there ANY chance she can raise them with the rest of the flock? I do not want to set her or the chicks up for failure nor do I want to see any of the chicks dead from another flock member. I am thinking my best bet is just to get chicks and raise them like I always do but I thought it would be a relief for her and fun to watch her raise them. This is when I wish I had an additional small coop and pen so they would have their own space within the current pen but unfortunately that is not an option unless I somehow stumble upon a good deal on fb marketplace.
Well now I am thinking about the fact that I will more than likely have to separate her and the chicks and I don't really want the hassle of removing her from the flock and reintroducing down the road. I have a set up spacious enough for the chicks to be in the garage with a heat lamp until they are old enough to join the flock that I have used for my last two batches of chicks but it is not really an adequate enough of space for a full sized hen plus growing chicks.
Is there ANY chance she can raise them with the rest of the flock? I do not want to set her or the chicks up for failure nor do I want to see any of the chicks dead from another flock member. I am thinking my best bet is just to get chicks and raise them like I always do but I thought it would be a relief for her and fun to watch her raise them. This is when I wish I had an additional small coop and pen so they would have their own space within the current pen but unfortunately that is not an option unless I somehow stumble upon a good deal on fb marketplace.