Leave or separate broodies?

[Newchickadee30]

How many of you separate you broodies vs leave them free in your coop to nest on eggs with the rest of your flock of hens and roos?
If you separate when do you put them back with the flock?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Personally I let my broody hens incubate, hatch , and raise chicks with the flock. As you can easily see on here, many people do all these differently. If you decide to let her incubate, hatch, or raise with the flock let me know a bit about your situation and I may have some suggestions.

Good luck!

 

[Newchickadee30]

Personally I let my broody hens incubate, hatch , and raise chicks with the flock. As you can easily see on here, many people do all these differently. If you decide to let her incubate, hatch, or raise with the flock let me know a bit about your situation and I may have some suggestions.

Good luck!

Thank you!
We have a very large coop and huge outdoor area.
My concern is my two roos. My Copper Maran is the boss and is everything a Roo should be. Protective, caring and gentle to his ladies. He keeps my other Roo (Ameraucana) in line. The Ameraucana can be a bit of a jerk, but will behave with “tune ups” from my Maran.
I’m also concerned will take her chicks outside and even if I put up a ramp what if the chicks can’t get back in. I know Mama knows best, but I’m worried.

 

[Yardmom]

I keep my broodies in a cage while setting so hens can't add eggs. I let the mom bring the chicks into the flock about day 3. This works best if hens have a high standing in the flock. Lower ranking hens may have a harder time protecting the chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My concern is my two roos.

I've never had a dominant rooster threaten a chick. I understand anything can happen with living animals but his instinct should be to protect those chicks or at least not harm them because his instincts should lead him to consider them his offspring, even if they look totally different. I want a dominant rooster in the flock when a broody is raising chicks. I have seen them help Mama take care of them, not threaten or harm them.

The non-dominant rooster may be more of a possible problem, especially if they are immature cockerels instead of mature roosters. Some mature non-dominant roosters might help Mama but usually they ignore her and the chicks. I have had immature cockerels threaten the chicks, just like another hen. My broody hens have never failed to protect their chicks from any other chicken that threatens them. Some even go out of their way to attack any other chicken that even gets close.

I can't give any guarantees about the behavior of living animals but this has just never been a problem for me. Your having a lot of room will help a lot.

I'm also concerned will take her chicks outside and even if I put up a ramp what if the chicks can’t get back in. I know Mama knows best, but I’m worried.

Do you have a photo of that entrance, maybe with something for scale? How high is it? I build steps with pavers to make it easier than a ramp. As far as I'm concerned steps are a whole lot easier for very young chicks to negotiate than a ramp.

She will take them outside, if not on the first day then within a few days. They will probably stay outside all day until bedtime, when she should try to take them back to the coop. If they don't make it into the coop she will probably settle down right under the pop door. After dark it should not be that hard to toss her and the chicks inside, provided that area is really dark. Some people have security lights or something so it never really gets that dark. If that is a predator safe area I would probably leave them outside. To me the risk of them being outside is predators, not that Mama can't keep her chicks warm. If a severe storm is headed that way things might change.

Regardless of the situation you should always be down there at bedtime the first few nights to make sure they get settled OK. I have had chicks get separated and need help. It's rare but it happens. I always lock my pop door against predators at night so it's just part of my routine.