Does mom stay with babies??

[chix4lyfe]

Hello, our hen is sitting on eggs and one is fully hatched and the rest are cracked a little bit. I moved her, her baby, and her eggs to the garage. Should I keep her with the babies? Right now we have a heat lamp on, should that be off? She looks hot. Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

Hello, our hen is sitting on eggs and one is fully hatched and the rest are cracked a little bit. I moved her, her baby, and her eggs to the garage. Should I keep her with the babies? Right now we have a heat lamp on, should that be off? She looks hot. Thanks!

When you have a broody sitting on the eggs and caring for the chicks you don't need a heat lamp. The hen provides the heat.

Where some hens are bad mothers, most will take careful care of their chicks -- the origin of the expression about a person being a "Mother Hen".

 

[Pork Pie]

This link may be interesting - http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks

 

[Chicalina]

yes, leave her to it. She knows best. No heat lamp. Chick crumbs and water within reach.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Should I keep her with the babies?

Personal choice. I like my hens to raise their chicks with the flock. They do all the work, including integration. Others like to separate the hen and chicks, let the hen raise them but do the integration themselves. Still others like to take the chicks away and raise them in a brooder. The chicks are easier to tame that way.

Right now we have a heat lamp on, should that be off? She looks hot.

A broody hen can keep her chicks warm even if it is below freezing. Too much heat is dangerous. You are not helping anything by having that lamp on, you may be putting her of the chicks in danger if it is too hot.

 

[chix4lyfe]

Personal choice. I like my hens to raise their chicks with the flock. They do all the work, including integration. Others like to separate the hen and chicks, let the hen raise them but do the integration themselves. Still others like to take the chicks away and raise them in a brooder. The chicks are easier to tame that way.


A broody hen can keep her chicks warm even if it is below freezing. Too much heat is dangerous. You are not helping anything by having that lamp on, you may be putting her of the chicks in danger if it is too hot.

I turned off the lamp!

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Hello, our hen is sitting on eggs and one is fully hatched and the rest are cracked a little bit. I moved her, her baby, and her eggs to the garage. Should I keep her with the babies? Right now we have a heat lamp on, should that be off? She looks hot. Thanks!

Congrats!!! So EXCITING
(egg-citting)

 

[chix4lyfe]

Congrats!!! So EXCITING
(egg-citting)

Thanks! We have 5 little one now!

 

[Chicalina]

Pics or it didn't happen

But seriously, there is a photo tax on here

 

[chix4lyfe]

Pics or it didn't happen

But seriously, there is a photo tax on here