I gave broody hen chicks; couple questions on care

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Pecking feathered feet is normal, because feathered feet are not normal. It's a human creation that goes against what chickens know about chickens. Especially if the broody does not have feathered feet herself. Chickens peck things that look out of place. Deep shavings help with that, if the feet sink into them and the feathers are harder to see.

Broodies continue sitting on the chicks for a couple of days post hatch, when they are still very young and weak and get cold easily. With store-bought chicks, they are older when the hen receives them than they would be when she hatched them, so in her mind they are newborn and still need to be sat on. If they are a couple of days old by then, they'll want to get out and explore, and she might try to peck them to get them to go back under. You don't need to take them out to feed them. At some point they'll get strong and rowdy enough to get out and go explore anyway, and she won't be able to control them so tightly anymore.
 
K0k0shka said:
Pecking feathered feet is normal, because feathered feet are not normal. It's a human creation that goes against what chickens know about chickens. Especially if the broody does not have feathered feet herself. Chickens peck things that look out of place. Deep shavings help with that, if the feet sink into them and the feathers are harder to see.

Broodies continue sitting on the chicks for a couple of days post hatch, when they are still very young and weak and get cold easily. With store-bought chicks, they are older when the hen receives them than they would be when she hatched them, so in her mind they are newborn and still need to be sat on. If they are a couple of days old by then, they'll want to get out and explore, and she might try to peck them to get them to go back under. You don't need to take them out to feed them. At some point they'll get strong and rowdy enough to get out and go explore anyway, and she won't be able to control them so tightly anymore.
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I hear you, but she’s crunching and eating toes, not going after the feathers. Is that normal?
I sprayed blue stuff on them so she can’t see them easily.
 
Update: they all survived the night with mommy dearest hen. She’s still picking at toes but chicks are walking around ok, eating, drinking.
I have the family in a secure area inside the coop away from, but in sight of the flock.
When should I open the barriers to let mother and babies out to coop and run? What’s the chance she will nit return to them and ho sit in an empty nest?
sorry for the ??, it’s new to me and i’m nervous they will get abandoned by her while i’m at work an hour away.
 
NorthwoodsChick said:
Update: they all survived the night with mommy dearest hen. She’s still picking at toes but chicks are walking around ok, eating, drinking.
I have the family in a secure area inside the coop away from, but in sight of the flock.
When should I open the barriers to let mother and babies out to coop and run? What’s the chance she will nit return to them and ho sit in an empty nest?
sorry for the ??, it’s new to me and i’m nervous they will get abandoned by her while i’m at work an hour away.
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I'd give it a week.
Is she in sight of the flock?
 
Mrs. K said:
I let mine out with the layers right away. I let her make the decisions. Her hormones are high. If she accepts them, she will keep them, you should be golden.
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Some hens can be really stupid about the logistics, even if they have all the right hormones and try their best. Last year I had a first time broody who couldn't understand that newly hatched chicks can't climb and jump the way she does. She would settle for the night in high places right away, and keep calling them over, as they rolled around the ground crying. I kept having to move her down to rescue them. After she started taking them outside at about a week old, they were still trying to figure out the ramp, but after the first day, she just headed in for the night and left them outside in the dark! I had to bring them into the coop to her. She was calling for them from in there, but never thought to go and lead them in patiently... Needless to say, I'm not letting her brood again. By comparison, my other broody stays on the floor until the chicks can jump high enough, then by week 2 she guides them to the 4ft roost and they all sleep there together. She walks up the ramp slowly, calling to them every few inches, until they follow her in. She's on her 3rd brood now, but she has been this mindful and careful right from the start. Some hens just make better broodies than others.

​

@NorthwoodsChick I'd say do a controlled release at a time when you can be nearby to observe, like after work. Let her out of her enclosure and watch what she does. Does she keep pace with the chicks, or does she rush ahead and leave them alone? Does she try to leave the coop, and leave them inside? If it looks like she's rushing it, put her back in the enclosure and give her another day or two, then repeat. Depending on how high off the floor your pop door is, you may be able to keep the family in the coop for a while before letting them out into the run, without closing the door and cutting access for the other hens. It would be good for the chicks to get comfortable with the coop first - as their first big step towards the world - before they go outside. My pop door is about a foot off the floor (by design, to keep the shavings in) and I usually have a small stepping log next to it, for the hens to step up to the door, but when I have new chicks, I remove that to keep them in the coop for the first few days. The hens can still go out, they just need to try harder. My good broody won't leave without the chicks, and they can't reach the pop door, so they have a few days to explore. Then I bring the log back, with a small baby ramp on it, up to the pop door, so they can all go out.
 
K0k0shka said:
Some hens can be really stupid about the logistics, even if they have all the right hormones and try their best. Last year I had a first time broody who couldn't understand that newly hatched chicks can't climb and jump the way she does. She would settle for the night in high places right away, and keep calling them over, as they rolled around the ground crying. I kept having to move her down to rescue them. After she started taking them outside at about a week old, they were still trying to figure out the ramp, but after the first day, she just headed in for the night and left them outside in the dark! I had to bring them into the coop to her. She was calling for them from in there, but never thought to go and lead them in patiently... Needless to say, I'm not letting her brood again. By comparison, my other broody stays on the floor until the chicks can jump high enough, then by week 2 she guides them to the 4ft roost and they all sleep there together. She walks up the ramp slowly, calling to them every few inches, until they follow her in. She's on her 3rd brood now, but she has been this mindful and careful right from the start. Some hens just make better broodies than others.

​

@NorthwoodsChick I'd say do a controlled release at a time when you can be nearby to observe, like after work. Let her out of her enclosure and watch what she does. Does she keep pace with the chicks, or does she rush ahead and leave them alone? Does she try to leave the coop, and leave them inside? If it looks like she's rushing it, put her back in the enclosure and give her another day or two, then repeat. Depending on how high off the floor your pop door is, you may be able to keep the family in the coop for a while before letting them out into the run, without closing the door and cutting access for the other hens. It would be good for the chicks to get comfortable with the coop first - as their first big step towards the world - before they go outside. My pop door is about a foot off the floor (by design, to keep the shavings in) and I usually have a small stepping log next to it, for the hens to step up to the door, but when I have new chicks, I remove that to keep them in the coop for the first few days. The hens can still go out, they just need to try harder. My good broody won't leave without the chicks, and they can't reach the pop door, so they have a few days to explore. Then I bring the log back, with a small baby ramp on it, up to the pop door, so they can all go out.
Click to expand...
Good advice, thank you.
I have a small, low pop door in the brooder area connected to the run. The big girls use the regular pop door that leads to the same run. Last yr I had a barrier in the run to separate older chicks for integration, but I don’t need that with a broody hen, assuming she’s protecting the chicks.
Yesterday I opened the brooder pop door for an hour-momma didn’t budge, so I closed it up.
I will keep them together for another day or so then open things again when I’m home all day to be able to intervene if necessary.

All are doing well as of this morning. 😊
 

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