is it true?. hen hatched chicks are healthier?

[Dar]

DH has one of these friends who knows it all.. from giving birth, to the care and upkeep of chickens this guy thinks he knows it all... So we are now clear about what type of person we are talking about..lol

DH told him that any day now we should have chicks, the friend asked when we got a bator. DH said we dont we have a silkie.

The friend said that chicks that are hatched by hens are stronger healthier chicks then if we were to hatch the same eggs with a bator.

Is there any truth to this?

 

[RubberChickenLubber]

I don't know it as a fact, but I imagine they would be. They are exposed to the hen and environment, and I'm sure that builds thier immune system.

 

[Judy]

I believe Mamas teach them what to eat, to watch for predators, etc.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

My personal observations are that the hens do a much better job than any incubator or brooder can. i've done side-by-side incubator hatching while my showgirl was hatching and raising a clutch. She had a better hatch rate, the chicks seemed to have more energy and were more inquisitive, and appeared to grow and progress much better than the ones i was raising. i don't know why i waited so long to trust my hens.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

I prefer to use a broody. At least that I don't have to keep the chicks in my room!!!!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Me too! I have 3 new one now that I wish I'd had a new mom to slip them under. They're a few days old now, I don't know if they'd bond with a hen, now.