Hen taking care of her babies

[Newfarmer36]

I'm buying a hen that's broody. I don't do the incubator thing so I wanted a hen that will hatch out eggs. The lady that I'm buying her from said that with most hens, they'll take care of the chicks for just a couple of days and then just leave them. Then I'll need to be the one to take care of them. Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks

 

[kannna]

Good broody hens will take care of their chicks for weeks until they are usually fully feathered. Then she will drop them like she has no idea who they are. But at that point they can usually fend for themselves and the other hens are used to them.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. A hen who abandons hatchlings is either a bad Mama, or she is being mismanaged.

 

[Teila]

Hey, if I can … rubbish!! Most hens will raise the chicks for weeks, usually at least 5-6. May be she is telling you this because this hen she is selling is not a good broody which might be why she is selling her?

 

[bobbi-j]

My broodies have always taken care of their babies for at least 4 weeks or more. Is the hen broody now? Moving her could break that.

 

[featherhead007]

Good mama here, had 7

 

[Newfarmer36]

Hey, if I can … rubbish!! Most hens will raise the chicks for weeks, usually at least 5-6. May be she is telling you this because this hen she is selling is not a good broody which might be why she is selling her?

I don't think that she's selling her bc of that reason. She's taking her eggs from her everyday so she won't hatch any. She's getting new birds and she's selling these to make room for them.

 

[Newfarmer36]

My broodies have always taken care of their babies for at least 4 weeks or more. Is the hen broody now? Moving her could break that.

She is. I was hoping that she would hatch chicks. I live less than I mile from her.

 

[Newfarmer36]

Good mama here, had 7 View attachment 1379942

Aww!!! I hope mine will do that!

 

[featherhead007]

Flock swap out??? I don't understand that.