keeping hens and their chicks safe

[cicene mete]

Once a hen begins to sit on a clutch of eggs, do you separate her from the other chickens? Also, once the chicks hatch

, do you keep Mama and the chicks separate from everyone in order to keep the chicks safe?

I'm wondering about all this, because I've only ever had hatchery chicks, and I know there are all kinds of steps for integrating them into the flock. So what is the process when a hen hatches out her own chicks?

Thanks!

 

[Ravyn]

Yes and Yes,

For question 1, removing her from the rest of the chicken while she is setting. A lot of times the other hens will lay eggs in the nest of a broody hen when she is off the nest. Then you have the problem of not knowing which eggs were just laid and which ones have been sat on for a while unless you have them marked. Plus if a broody goes out to eat and another hen is on her nest when she returns she may end up setting in a different nest.

question 2 is the most important. Chickens can be very brutal to little chicks. It always the best thing to seperate momma and chicks from the rest of the flock. I keep my hens in chicks in an outside pen with a small dog house type house. It doesn't have to be tall on the sides.
Hope this helps, good luck
Robyn