I WANT TO RAISE THEM WITHA BROODY HEN

[Haltey]

how do i raise baby chicks with a broody hen? Like how do i set up a container for her to stay in? How old til. i put them outside? What is the best type of hen to go broody? Inside or outside? Where? HELP! How old should the hen be?
Please help me!
Thanks~
Haley

 

[Pyxis]

If you want a very broody hen, your best bet is a silkie or a cochin. They will go broody when their hormones dictate, and there's no way to 'make' them go broody. They can go broody any time after they start laying. You let her hatch the eggs wherever she starts to set, which will probably be in a nesting box. You can move her, but she may reject the new location and try to go back to the old one, or it may accidentally break her from her broodiness. You can let her hatch them and raise them with the rest of the flock, or you can set up a special area just for her and the chicks - that's up to you. She will keep them warm and show them food and water. I have had broodies take day old chicks outside with the flock and they do just fine.

 

[Benjam24]

I've got a silkie cross light sussex aka goldtops. She is a brilliant broody, dedicated to hatching and she took the chicks outside after 2 days,

 

[aggiemae]

The hen will have to go broody on her own so the age doesn't matter. If she is a hen high in the flock she can sit on her eggs where she lays then provided you have another box for the other hens to lay in and the other hens will pretty much leave her chicks alone or sometimes even help her. A hen low in the pecking order will need to be separated and protected while she broods but she will still need to access food and water and be able to get outside.

Either way you will need to have a brooder ready in case the hen abandons the eggs or the chicks.

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