Does anyone ever leave it up to their hen to raise a chick

[Chicky Tocks]

I am leaving it up to my two mommies. They've hatched them and now they're living in the run with everyone else. Here's a photo diary of how it's going. I just need to say that these little chickies are extra tough!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=212846

 

[Hambone]

I'm convinced. Thats deff the way I will do it.

 

[speckledhen]

I never allow them to raise chicks within the flock, partly because my DH is paranoid about them getting pecked to death. We have a couple of special broody pens for mom and chicks. Remember, many moms push the babies away at about 4-6 weeks old and then you have to have a place for the baby to be safe from the grown hens. I had a broody mom just dump her baby one day and wanted back in with her flock at three weeks after hatch. The next day when we put the baby in with her, she tried to kill it and we had to rescue it. So, just know that not all will keep the babies with them for two or more months.

 

[SallyF]

I had one non-laying mutt hen who got broody so I let her sit on one egg laid by a black sex-link. She hatched it and is being quite the mom now. They're lots of fun to watch. The chick is beginning to fledge but it will still crawl under mom for a nap. I've put them back in the coop with the other hens and rooster during the day, but still put them in a separate cage at night. I've lost chicks to snakes before and don't want that to happen again.