Home raised chicks

[FrozenChicken]

Well we didn't order any chicks from the hatchery this year and it was looking as though the flock would drop slightly in numbers but mother nature took over and some of my hens decided they were going to raise little ones.

This specked sussex hen went broody and had 16 chicks, for sure some are crossed with our Dark Brahma rooster.

And this home raised leghorn cross had 14 chicks

And one hen that got broody in my nest box was given eggs and that produced these 9

Plus 2 more batches of 4 and one still sitting on 12 eggs. So when i do the match 16+14+9+4+4+10?= 57 chicks so another 28 hens.

 

[siz8003]

may i ask what that white one is I have one that kind looks like that and not too sure what she is

 

[silkiechicken]

They are so cute! Nobody here went broody this year.

Oh well, I need the eggs to keep up with my buyers.

 

[justusnak]

Oh my goodness! Cute, cute, cute.!!

 

[FrozenChicken]

The white chick on the bottom picture is a pure or cross Columbian Rock, and the middle hen is white leghornXBlack Sal Link Rooster crossed with RIR X Columbian Rock hen.

 

[Hotwings]

Nothing better than to see chicks with a hen. Do you see a difference in their health from the hatchery/incubator chicks? My friend Denise had 3 of her bantams hatch 3 barred rock eggs! She says the chicks are as big as the bantams that hatched them lol. She said her broody chicks were much healthier than the chicks from the hatchery, plus these are free!

 

[silkiechicken]

I find they are more wary and keep better eyes out for predators than brooder birds. They learn "chicken" much faster too. As for health, they are about the same as the chicks I hatch myself and dump outside at a few weeks old. Ok, not literally dump, put put in their outdoor brooder.

 

[NJfarmer]

Do you seperate the mom and chicks from the rest of the flock?

 

[silkiechicken]

Well. It is recommended... I didn't.

 

[FrozenChicken]

I keep each brooding set in it's own separate pen. When the chicks are around 6-7 weeks the mom stops looking after them then I just remove her. Eventually all the chicks will be in one flock and won't join the big hens til October or so.