if hen hatches eggs outside what do you do with the chicks?

[freshegg]

3 hens hatched eggs today outside in the coop what do i do now i usually use a incubater but let them try and there are lots out there

 

[aveca]

I would find a box like a small dog house and attach a cage to it or some chicken wire to make sure nothing gets them.

Here is what I did..I took a large cage that we use for the roosters and put a small dog house with it.I literally tied it together and left the top open so I could get into it to feed easy.I just lift the lid and change feed and clean it pretty easy and all are happy for now...I actually took them out of the hen house and put them out there so they could be alone and bond without the girls in the hen house eating all the baby food. and tipping over baby water ...not a lot of room but enough till the baby gets adjusted

It was 24 degrees last night so i was pretty worried but as you can see there is the baby out eating this morn when it gets chilly it pops under the mom.

I have blankets and a tarp over it.just because it was frost warnings.

 

[calamtykel]

She'll know what to do.

Their instincts are amazing. We got six amberlink chicks at tractor supply and stuck them under a broody buff and they are now about three weeks old and doing great. They're growing fast and despite many cats that we have and other predators we haven't lost one - and they free range. The mama is VERY protective. She attacked me when I tried to free one of the babies from some netting, and the dog, who always chased the chickens is now terrified of her after being attacked twice for being within 4 feet of the babies. The cats are also afraid.

We've had temps below freezing still, and they are just fine. The mom somehow knows when it's time to hunker down with them underneath. For the first few days they didn't come out much at all, but now they are outside all day. Had I known how easy it would be to just let nature take its course, I wouldn't bother with a brooder again!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

You already started this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=341705

 

[freshegg]

ty so much 12 are inside the rest are out there with the 3 girls so i should just let them all eat the chick starter?

 

[freshegg]

yes i tryed asking earlier but no one answered so i reworded it. all showgirls 1 total naked neck

 

[aveca]

Thats pretty amazing that they managed to hatch them right out in the open like that especially show girls..We have too many ambushers around our parts because we live right on the border of the huge forest so I have to cage mine up..I havnt let mom outside with the baby yet cause we have a couple cats in this area that are killers as well as we lost 2 hens last week to lord knows what.. , I walked up to the garden with them there were 4 hens... I worked around the garden, came back down the path and only 3 came back with me..I went everywhere looking for the 4rth but never found it..they were scratching around in the brush and I could hear them, but whatever killed them was very good at what they do cause I never heard a thing ...the week befor that we were out working around the yard and we lost one... must be a very experienced fox or coy-dog cause again, we never heard a thing, no squaking, no flapping, nothing..

 

[freshegg]

thats sad. we are practically in the center of town not many preditors besides cats. my husband says he will problely bring them all in today instead so they are safe. Im gonna post them on craigslist or go to a swap meet or something with them