How to best raise new chicks into existing flock?

[Mcse4u]

I have 5 hens around 2 years old now, including one Easter egger who has gone broody for the 3rd time in a year. I’m going to be adding 6 new chicks to the flock. I live in upstate NY, so the weather is cooler here than the norm.
My question is, should I raise the chicks inside for a few weeks like the first group, or should I try putting the chicks with the broody hen and let her raise them?
If I keep them with the hens in the raised coop, where should I put their chick starter crumbles and water, inside near the nesting boxes, or outside? Should I put a heat lamp inside the coop?
So many questions in what should be just a natural process! Lol. Obviously I just don’t want the chicks to be harmed or stressed.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’m going to be adding 6 new chicks to the flock. I live in upstate NY, so the weather is cooler here than the norm.

Give them to the broody if they are less than 6 days old. Tucked under her early evening (dark) so she can hear them peeping and cluck back to them, they are learning each others' voices. She can also feel them moving under her. In this way she know the chicks have arrived and her hormones will be starting to change some she will become even more protective and prepare to take them out. NO heat lamp. A large fowl hen such as an EE can easily keep 6 chicks comfortable.. even in cooler weather. Best part, no chick dust in the house and no integration needed as the mama hen handles it all. I have done many successful chick adoptions.

How long has she been sitting this time? My hens who set for at least a couple weeks will usually take chicks out for food and water within 3 days. Naturally chicks are hatched having just absorbed their yolk which will sustain them until mama takes them out to forage. So, I would lock them in to the nest with mama and feed and water for at least the first day. Collecting it at night. Maybe with enough room for her to move off the nest and poo if needed. She should pick up bits of feed and drop and cluck to show them. She should not be pecking or growling at the chicks... but sometimes they go crazy pecking at an intruder like me or another flock member and accidentally get the chicks.

You can use a non medicated chick starter or even a flock raiser for all your birds and put oyster shell free choice on the side for the hens who are actively laying. I never use "layer" which has about 16% protein and 4% ish calcium... as that is too much calcium for birds not in lay like chicks, broody's, molters, or roosters to be fed long term and I always have multiple stages in my flock. The birds who don't need the oyster shell may sample it but should not consume enough to actually cause any issues. Also, 16% is the minimum amount of protein to keep light bodied layer like leghorn in good condition to lay. But 22% protein was shown to give the best hatch rates which to me says more nutrients in the eggs my family is consuming. Dual purpose breed do best around 18% protein and that is what I have mostly raised. But calories (energy) only comes from protein, fat, and carbs including fiber. Not all protein is equal though. Chickens do need some animal derived amino acids, which are added into the vegetarian feeds most of us use. And I don't like to go below 20% protein for chicks as it supports muscle growth and feathers are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids... one reason why some people add *more* protein during molt. I keep mine up all the time, but it does help them recover faster in my experience.

I did put lower feeders available, but it was so cute to see the hen take food out to the ground for the babies.

Sorry, sometimes I get off track or over detailed.

It isn't without risk or effort, but worth it in my experience.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[Mcse4u]

I tried what you suggested, and the broody Easter egger jumped out of the box and wouldn’t come back into the coop. After about an hour, the chicks were cold and huddled in a corner of one of the nesting boxes, and the stupid broody hen went and sat in another box and ignored the chicks. Any suggestions? In the mean time, the chicks are inside in my chick brooder
Is it weird to be frustrated with your chicken???