Let mom raise them or a brooder ??

[Glenmar]

If my eggs hatch that the hen is on,
will they have a better survival rate staying with her or in a brooder. If I leave them with her, I have a 12x12 horse stall with solid walls that I could move them to. I have a screen on the window so it gets plenty of light and is not drafty.

 

[Angiebubs]

I have done both-and its a lot easier to have a broody mom raise them. Has she raised chicks before? if not, I would have a back up plan ready to go just in case. As long as you handle the chicks alot-I think either way can raise sweet freindly chicks. GOod luck!

 

[Lagerdogger]

Letting the hen raise them is fun to watch. The hens do a great job of teaching their young to forage, etc. And it's way cute. However, the poults will not grow up to be friendly to you. The mother will teach them to stay away from you. They won't grow up afraid of you, but they won't be your best buds either.

 

[Angiebubs]

I have found that my hen raised chicks are almost as friendly as the brooder raised chicks-but its probably because I handle all my chickens reularly so the moms are scared of me at all either-IMHO.

 

[Glenmar]

I was wondering if they would be stronger being raised by the hen. I am not too worried about friendliness.
It would be great if they were friendly, but I really don't have time to play with them,and my Tom is evil anyway.

 

[Angiebubs]

Then I would definately let the hen raise them! And they will have more "instinctive" behavior if raised by a hen. My hen raised chickens are the first to sound alarms when danger is near.....they seem to be better at foraging, and I believe they will have better immune systems being raised on ground where the flock is.

 

[Glenmar]

Then I would definately let the hen raise them! And they will have more "instinctive" behavior if raised by a hen. My hen raised chickens are the first to sound alarms when danger is near.....they seem to be better at foraging, and I believe they will have better immune systems being raised on ground where the flock is.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[amnich]

The naturally strong ones will probably become stronger, just make sure she doesn't abandon any if they aren't doing well. Sometimes hens will ignore sicker or smaller chicks and take care of the healthier and stronger ones, making weak ones worse. If that happens, I would definitely bring the abandoned chick inside.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Let the hen raise them.

 

[GA_Gypsy]

I have a similar dilemma. Right now I have 10 in our brooder tub and 1 newly hatched chick under mom. However, the problem is that I can't imagine it being the most chick-friendly coop. It doesn't have a ramp to get in, our chickens and turkeys just use a potted plant to hop in. But even if we did have a ramp, can baby chicks get in and out safely? Should I just get it at night and put her in the brooder? Our should I move mom and all babies into a fenced off area to keep them all safe? Thanks