hen vs brooder

[noitulover]

I had never put chicks under a broody until this past time... I have always had some sort of brooder setup, whether it was a rubbermaid tub, a kitchen table turned upside down and hardware clothed, a cardboard box, a rabbit cage, or other!

This time, a hen was broody at the same time as when my chicks came... I tried slipping them under her and she took them!

I have never been so convinced that a broody hen SHOULD raise chicks... The chicks have not "distress peeped" once! They look healthier and happier than any of my chicks in the past. They have learned to roost, fly, eat, and drink, earlier and better than any of my hand-raised brooder chicks... Not a minute of "boredom", less wasted food, everything is better!

POINT OF THE POST: if you have a broody hen, USE HER! it is so much more natural, easy, adorable, and RIGHT!

 

[Marcy]

Really? I have a very broody Silkie, and chicks arriving any day, but I think I would be kind of scared to try it. Plus the image of 10 non-bantam chicks under my bitty little Silkie is very amusing

Although I guess you could maybe answer a question of mine... I was thinking I would have to do the same thing for the chicks as for integrating any other new chickns, and keep them separated from the established flock for ages until they got used to each other and were about the same size. Is this right, or would your broody hen method remove that consideration? That would be a huge benefit.

 

[squeakyballs]

I did the same thing! They seem very happy, and are thriving. I love how the hens show them what to eat. The only awful thing was when the hens found a large grub and gave it to the chicks, who ran around with it like it was a little football. I actually felt bad for the poor grub.

Plus, no pasty butt or anything to speak of!

The only con is that I haven't gotten to handle them as much as I would like to... I'm worried that they won't be as friendly as I was hoping for.

 

[noitulover]

I have integrated brooder raised chicks in with my adult flock without too many issues. The worst thing that ever happened was a hen's comb got pecked, and it drew a tiny bit of blood (maybe less than 1 drop)... She healed, the flock took her in, and everyone is fine now!

I haven't had the issues with integration, as some people on her have... I am not sure why though. I just know that when a new group enters the coop, there is a bit of pecking, some chasing, a few fluffing up of feathers, and in a day up to a week, it is all worked out and the pecking order is established.

I am betting that a mother hen will help with the pecking order situation though. Maybe not drastically, but probably a little. The chicks might be more accustomed to chicken behavior, and so they might be less shocked when introduced to other chickens...


I only have 3 LF chicks underneath my broody silkie, but she could probably fit 10... no more than that though!

 

[noitulover]

tofu: same here! not a case of pasty butt to be found!

we'll have to see how friendly they are... Mine don't seem to be too afraid of me though, the silkie lets me put my hand in there because she knows I bring the food!!! When I brought her some greens yesterday, she even let me touch one of the chicks! (only for a second)

 

[Marcy]

I'm always a little worried about integration... the first time I tried it I had no problems whatsoever, zero pecking, nothing. But the second time was horrible- the pecking was out of hand, and they wouldn't let the new chickens near the food... one of them starved.

So I split the run in half, but it took months before everything was ok again.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
I separated my mother hens and their chicks recently to see what they would do, etc. - more to protect them from the puppies than the other chickens. This morning, i let them do what they wanted, instead of fencing them off, and they are very vigilant to protect their babies. Actually, the other chickens aren't really paying attention to them. They get curious once in a while, but they respect the mama-baby thing going on and back off. Then one of my puppies got curious about those babies, and those mamas ran him off like nobody's business.

If you don't have puppies or some other predator pet - at your house to worry about, i would feel very comfortable letting the mamas keep their babies wherever they want to.

I haven't experienced it yet, but i have read that because they're raised with their mamas, the integration problems are nil. They just become part of the flock, and they know their place.

edited to add: My friend raised 3 rir eggs under a broody bantam, and she did a great job. One of them is now my chief rooster, Rocky, and i LOVE him. I don't think i would try 10 though. LOL

 

[Marcy]

Quote:
That would be so great. I think I'll try it. I will of course be super paranoid and run out there every ten minutes to be sure she hasn't gotten up off them and wandered away, but if I can avoid the hassle of integration it will SO be worth it!

 

[noitulover]

Quote:
maybe it was a space problem? also, certain breeds are more likely to get picked on, maybe you have more confident breeds in the coop, and the ones you added were more docile and bullied breeds...

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
I put the chicks under the hens (there were 2 in the same nest box) at night. We only had the two hens, but I hear they'll beat up any other chickens that try to mess with the chicks.