Hand raised or hen raised???

[Rudkin]

We have 4 hens and decided to try our skills at hatching so we borrowed a friends rooster and have been collecting eggs for our incubator. The first batch didn't last because we couldn't keep the temp in the incubator regulated. Now that we have that straightened out and we start collecting for the second batch one of our hens has gotten her self way back in the corner or the "attic" of the coop and is sitting on her eggs. We live in Kansas, we think the eggs are due to hatch by the end of this month (February). It's been a mild winter and we have a heat lamp in the coop but I am not sure if it would be a good idea to leave the chicks with momma hen when they hatch or if we should collect them and bring them inside. Any thoughts?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Leave them with momma. She will keep them warm enough.

I saw posts from people hatching in the middle of December and their broodies handled things just fine.

 

[Rudkin]

Great! Thank you so much!!

 

[Saskfarmgirl]

Just to add to this I was wondering if anyone might be able to answer my question. I too have a chicken who has decided it is time for her to be a mom. I gave in and let her keep them knowing being raised by her she would protect them from the flock and I wouldn't have to try to introduce them after. I live up in Saskatchewan Canada are coop stays rather warm and on cold days I do have two heat lamps set up in coop so that is not my concern. My question was about there feed, of course our chickens are on the big pellet size feed I was wondering if that might produce a problem for these chicks and I should switch to a more crumble feed?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[centrarchid]

Go to a chick starter. It will be a bit rich for hen so make so a creep feeder can allow only chicks having acces to that. The hen can be given a mixture of your standard pellets and the chick starter. I would restrict hen's feed intake. If she gets back pre-setting wet too quickly she may want to renest before first brood able to thermoregulate in extreme cold.