Can a broody hen raise her babies with the rest of her flock?

[Farmgirl283420]

can a broody hen raise her chicks with the flock? I feel like my chickens would eat the little one.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

In general you can just leave them be. Chicks don’t need to be under their mom constantly and only will go under to warm up, feel safe or sleep. Other than that they usually are quite curious and will explore around where she can still see them. Also yes they can be together with the flock.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

In general you can just leave them be. Chicks don’t need to be under their mom constantly and only will go under to warm up, feel safe or sleep. Other than that they usually are quite curious and will explore around where she can still see them.

Thank you! The baby did go back under my hen! I had my broody hen and her egg blocked off so the chickens wouldn’t disturb her while the chick was hatching but Enola escaped and I found the baby by itself. Gave the baby back to to mommy and then it climbed out so I was a bit nervous!

 

[Perris]

Yes. They won't. Not necessarily. Proof:

 

[cbottrun]

There’s nothing better than a Broody raising a clutch within the flock.

My rooster is very attentive and gentle to the chicks. Babies are better chickens for this natural raising and so much healthier.

I don’t separate ever. But I don’t let momma and chicks out to forage with flock until chicks are at least a month old!

Done my share of incubator hatches and it’s not half as much fun as watching the flock grow naturally, plus I’ve had hens that were incubator hatched and never integrated into the flock and I had to sell them off.

I breed Indio Gigante and they are an amazing breed to do this flock raising with. When you see 3 week old chicks marching up the coop ramp, well it the cutest ever!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

There’s nothing better than a Broody raising a clutch within the flock.

My rooster is very attentive and gentle to the chicks. Babies are better chickens for this natural raising and so much healthier.

I don’t separate ever. But I don’t let momma and chicks out to forage with flock until chicks are at least a month old!

Done my share of incubator hatches and it’s not half as much fun as watching the flock grow naturally, plus I’ve had hens that were incubator hatched and never integrated into the flock and I had to sell them off.

I breed Indio Gigante and they are an amazing breed to do this flock raising with. When you see 3 week old chicks marching up the coop ramp, well it the cutest ever!

They are so cute! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ridgerunner]

can a broody hen raise her chicks with the flock? I feel like my chickens would eat the little one.

If you have enough room, usually yes. You are dealing with living animals so I cannot give any guarantees but broody hens were hatching and raising chicks with the flock before they were domesticated. The did not go extinct. For thousands of years after they were domesticated people mostly kept chickens free ranging at least through the daytime, so broodies raised chicks with the flock.

If your coop and/or run are very small, it can be more of an issue, a broody hen needs some room to protect her chicks. But in general, a rooster takes care of all of his flick members including chicks, most of the other hens won't bother the chicks as long as they keep a certain distance, and a broody hen gets as mad as a wet hen if another hen threatens her babies.