Chicks left with Mama Hen in Covey?

[Kholts]

Has anyone successfully left mama hen & babies in with the covey?

Or is it better to separate if you have the space?

I have a broody sitting on eggs for the last week and a bit. Just trying to prepare if she’s successful.

Details: covey consists of 4 hens and 1 roo

Cage is 6ft by 4ft with an enclosed box hide as well as little cave hides. We sometimes put pine limbs in for extra hides and boredom busters.

 

[Nabiki]

It's best to separate if you can. Be prepared for her to quit sitting if you disturb her and have an incubator ready in case she quits anyways.

If you want to leave the chicks with her after separating, watch her very carefully to make sure she isn't pecking at the chicks. Be ready to have a brooder ready. If she is a bad mother, you might try an old hen with the chicks. I have had success with older hens as brood mothers.

I found this out several years ago because I had an old falb fee hen that I was going to have for dinner inside in a tote when the power went out and I had a brooder full of day old chicks. Out of desperation, I put Grandma into the brooder with the chicks, and she fluffed up and spread out her wings for the chicks to burrow under her. She spent the rest of her natural life raising chicks.

 

[Kholts]

It's best to separate if you can. Be prepared for her to quit sitting if you disturb her and have an incubator ready in case she quits anyways.

If you want to leave the chicks with her after separating, watch her very carefully to make sure she isn't pecking at the chicks. Be ready to have a brooder ready. If she is a bad mother, you might try an old hen with the chicks. I have had success with older hens as brood mothers.

I found this out several years ago because I had an old falb fee hen that I was going to have for dinner inside in a tote when the power went out and I had a brooder full of day old chicks. Out of desperation, I put Grandma into the brooder with the chicks, and she fluffed up and spread out her wings for the chicks to burrow under her. She spent the rest of her natural life raising chicks.

It's best to separate if you can. Be prepared for her to quit sitting if you disturb her and have an incubator ready in case she quits anyways.

If you want to leave the chicks with her after separating, watch her very carefully to make sure she isn't pecking at the chicks. Be ready to have a brooder ready. If she is a bad mother, you might try an old hen with the chicks. I have had success with older hens as brood mothers.

I found this out several years ago because I had an old falb fee hen that I was going to have for dinner inside in a tote when the power went out and I had a brooder full of day old chicks. Out of desperation, I put Grandma into the brooder with the chicks, and she fluffed up and spread out her wings for the chicks to burrow under her. She spent the rest of her natural life raising chicks.

I was a too slow separating her out and the eggs were further along than I thought. Walked in to two baby chicks dead yesterday morning. One out of the quail hutch and one in. Have a feeling they went exploring right out of the coop and the chickens gave them a good peck. No excessive damage to bodies & they weren’t even riggered yet. That or they got cold. It’s hovering around 0 Celsius in the coop, possibly colder at night.

Separated mama and the last 3 eggs into a baby proofed set up. One hatched this morning & I’ve periodically been checking and mama is being good. Sitting on it and teaching it the waterer and food then returning to the remaining eggs. I also turned the lamp on inside the set up but put up higher just to give a little extra heat at night.

I’ll continue to monitor. Thanks for the help.

 

[Nabiki]

I was a too slow separating her out and the eggs were further along than I thought. Walked in to two baby chicks dead yesterday morning. One out of the quail hutch and one in. Have a feeling they went exploring right out of the coop and the chickens gave them a good peck. No excessive damage to bodies & they weren’t even riggered yet. That or they got cold. It’s hovering around 0 Celsius in the coop, possibly colder at night.

Separated mama and the last 3 eggs into a baby proofed set up. One hatched this morning & I’ve periodically been checking and mama is being good. Sitting on it and teaching it the waterer and food then returning to the remaining eggs. I also turned the lamp on inside the set up but put up higher just to give a little extra heat at night.

I’ll continue to monitor. Thanks for the help.

I'm sorry you lost two, but it's really awesome that you got a good mama quail!