Letting a broody hatch and raise chicks with the flock - What do I need to know?

[DobieLover]

Do i need to separate mama and babies though?

No. You don't.
She needs a semiprivate space to set and hatch.

Once the eggs hatch she stays in the nest area for 1 to several days before she will venture out with them. As long as you have ample space there should be little if any drama. I would NEVER attempt natural hatching in any kind of tiny, prefab coop and wouldn't advise it in an elevated coop because of the difficulties mom will face trying to get her brood up a ramp or steps that are too high for chicks to jump up.

Broody hens protect, tend to and teach their chicks. I've never had other flock members be anything but curious about the chicks. If the mother thinks another flock member isn't going to be safe near her chicks, she will drive her off.

After the eggs hatch, remove the shells and unhatched eggs and put a chick safe waterer and chick starter in for them and Mom to eat. The entire flock should be on chick starter or Flock Raiser or another type of all flock food with oyster shell on the side for active layers.

 

[Nym]

<<<< My Frizzle, Betty, raised two pure pekins, then hatched and raised two silkies along with the Pekins, all in a tractor coop. One of the pekins, Suzie, became a doting aunty to the silkies and missed them greatly when I rehomed them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi Ceecee23, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.

Do i need to separate mama and babies though?

You'll get different answers from different people. Some of us never do, some always do. We have different set-ups with immense difference in space, different management techniques, and different flock mixes. Each chicken has its own individual personality. Just because something works for me does not mean it will work for everyone else every time.

The more room they have the better, both inside the coop and outside. Mama needs enough room to work. Most broody hens will defend their chicks from other chickens. Almost always this is another hen, but might possibly be a rooster. My roosters either help Mama take care of the flock or ignore them but others on here have reported a rooster attacked baby chicks. After initial curiosity most of my hens ignore baby chicks unless the chicks invade their personal space. Then the chicks are likely to get pecked to show them that it is bad chick manners to invade the personal space of their betters. Occasionally a hen will try to injure a chick but my broody hens take care of that.

A story I've seen play out a few times, usually when the chicks are about 2 weeks old. A chick leave Mama's protection and go to eat at a common feeder next to the other hens. The hens may ignore the chick at first but it is usually not long before one pecks it to punish it for bad manners. The chick immediately runs back to Mama as fast as her little legs can carry her with those little wings flapping. Mama tends to ignore this, it takes a village to raise a child. But on the occasions a hen starts following that running chick Mama whips butt. Nobody threatens her babies. Not all broody hens protect their chicks like this but mine do. Each chicken and each set-up is different.

My broody hens tend to keep the chicks separate from the flock most of the time. If space is tight she can't do that so the chicks are much more likely to get pecked or attacked by another hen. That's part of why space is so important.

My hens hatch in nests 2' or 4' above the coop floor. I've seen a hen get chicks out of a 10 feet (3 m) high hay loft where they hatched. She said jump and they did, then bounced up and ran to her. My hens don't have a problem getting their chicks out of the nests but they don't go back to those nests. At night they have the chicks sleep on the coop floor until they are ready to roost. Again, it helps to have enough room that they can do this. If you have a nest or shelter on the floor the broody might or might not take them there.

My pop door is about a foot above the coop floor and the outside. The chicks cannot jump that high to get in or out so I build a set of stairs inside and outside with of paving stones I had laying around. The broody typically keeps the chicks in the coop for two or three days and then leads them outside in the morning and keeps them outside all day until bedtime, when she takes them to sleep on the coop floor.

I don't always do it like this. When my coop is getting crowded I wait until the hen brings her chicks off of the nest and then lock them in a shelter out in the run for two nights and three days. Then I let the hen and chicks free to roam in the run with the other chickens during the day. At night the hen takes them back to the shelter to sleep instead of sleeping inside the coop. I can lock that shelter for predator protection. By being raised with the flock the chicks can take care of themselves with the flock. They simply avoid the adults, but I have enough room they can do that.

Few people on here have the room I do. They cannot let a broody raise the chicks in the coop with the rest of the flock. Their situation is different from mine so it takes different solutions. That may involve leaving them separate so long that the human has to integrate the chicks when they are old enough instead of letting the broody do it.

I know I'm repeating a lot of what I already wrote in this old thread. It is an old thread and many people don't bother reading old posts, especially long ones. There is nothing wrong with reopening an old post but often you get more attention and better responses by opening your own thread. Just something to keep in mind for future questions.

Again, I'm glad you joined.

 

[Ceecee23]

Hi Ceecee23, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.


You'll get different answers from different people. Some of us never do, some always do. We have different set-ups with immense difference in space, different management techniques, and different flock mixes. Each chicken has its own individual personality. Just because something works for me does not mean it will work for everyone else every time.

The more room they have the better, both inside the coop and outside. Mama needs enough room to work. Most broody hens will defend their chicks from other chickens. Almost always this is another hen, but might possibly be a rooster. My roosters either help Mama take care of the flock or ignore them but others on here have reported a rooster attacked baby chicks. After initial curiosity most of my hens ignore baby chicks unless the chicks invade their personal space. Then the chicks are likely to get pecked to show them that it is bad chick manners to invade the personal space of their betters. Occasionally a hen will try to injure a chick but my broody hens take care of that.

A story I've seen play out a few times, usually when the chicks are about 2 weeks old. A chick leave Mama's protection and go to eat at a common feeder next to the other hens. The hens may ignore the chick at first but it is usually not long before one pecks it to punish it for bad manners. The chick immediately runs back to Mama as fast as her little legs can carry her with those little wings flapping. Mama tends to ignore this, it takes a village to raise a child. But on the occasions a hen starts following that running chick Mama whips butt. Nobody threatens her babies. Not all broody hens protect their chicks like this but mine do. Each chicken and each set-up is different.

My broody hens tend to keep the chicks separate from the flock most of the time. If space is tight she can't do that so the chicks are much more likely to get pecked or attacked by another hen. That's part of why space is so important.

My hens hatch in nests 2' or 4' above the coop floor. I've seen a hen get chicks out of a 10 feet (3 m) high hay loft where they hatched. She said jump and they did, then bounced up and ran to her. My hens don't have a problem getting their chicks out of the nests but they don't go back to those nests. At night they have the chicks sleep on the coop floor until they are ready to roost. Again, it helps to have enough room that they can do this. If you have a nest or shelter on the floor the broody might or might not take them there.

My pop door is about a foot above the coop floor and the outside. The chicks cannot jump that high to get in or out so I build a set of stairs inside and outside with of paving stones I had laying around. The broody typically keeps the chicks in the coop for two or three days and then leads them outside in the morning and keeps them outside all day until bedtime, when she takes them to sleep on the coop floor.

I don't always do it like this. When my coop is getting crowded I wait until the hen brings her chicks off of the nest and then lock them in a shelter out in the run for two nights and three days. Then I let the hen and chicks free to roam in the run with the other chickens during the day. At night the hen takes them back to the shelter to sleep instead of sleeping inside the coop. I can lock that shelter for predator protection. By being raised with the flock the chicks can take care of themselves with the flock. They simply avoid the adults, but I have enough room they can do that.

Few people on here have the room I do. They cannot let a broody raise the chicks in the coop with the rest of the flock. Their situation is different from mine so it takes different solutions. That may involve leaving them separate so long that the human has to integrate the chicks when they are old enough instead of letting the broody do it.

I know I'm repeating a lot of what I already wrote in this old thread. It is an old thread and many people don't bother reading old posts, especially long ones. There is nothing wrong with reopening an old post but often you get more attention and better responses by opening your own thread. Just something to keep in mind for future questions.

Again, I'm glad you joined.

What dimensions are your coop? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[BabyChicki]

Hey everyone,
Well, I caved and let my favorite hen incubate after she got broody. (Not the one previously posted about, this is another hen). She and her sister have been taking turns sitting, and after checking, several eggs have veins! So exciting!

However…
The nesting boxes are about a foot off the ground. When the babies hatch, will they fall? Do I need to move the nest? What if she refuses to sit after moving the nest?

I don’t want to separate the mom and chicks because re-integrating them will be a pain. I would rather them work the dynamic out together. Will it be fine to just leave them altogether? What risks come with this?

I’ve read some posts about letting a broody hatch chicks, but it seems suspiciously simple. Any advice is appreciated. I don’t want to go into this blindly.

I’d hate to deprive your hen and chicks of moving around freely, and I’m not sure what type of chickens you have, but I usually put mine in a different space with the hen since roosters or other hens are likely to fight with the chicks.. since I have had problems with them. once again, I’m not sure with yours since they might be all very ok with the chicks

 

[triciayoung]

First of all, give this article a read...


They might.

Not a good idea.

This is why.

THAT'S a good idea!

This is why.

I've never had a problem letting mom do what she wants. I give her a private area that can be closed off for show time and then I open the door once the chicks are mobile and let her decide when she wants to leave. Provide food and chick safe water near the brooding area.

I've never had a problem BUT I do have copious amounts of space and a pretty harmonious flock.

It is with copious amounts of space and level headed broodies.

I even have a "never been broody before" hen that seems to really enjoy the chicks and will follow the mother and chicks around and has even defended the mother when a scuffle breaks out between her and another hen. I now call her Aunt Alecia.

Congratulations on hatching the easy way. I completely agree with @DobieLover

 

[triciayoung]

Hi Ceecee23, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.


You'll get different answers from different people. Some of us never do, some always do. We have different set-ups with immense difference in space, different management techniques, and different flock mixes. Each chicken has its own individual personality. Just because something works for me does not mean it will work for everyone else every time.

The more room they have the better, both inside the coop and outside. Mama needs enough room to work. Most broody hens will defend their chicks from other chickens. Almost always this is another hen, but might possibly be a rooster. My roosters either help Mama take care of the flock or ignore them but others on here have reported a rooster attacked baby chicks. After initial curiosity most of my hens ignore baby chicks unless the chicks invade their personal space. Then the chicks are likely to get pecked to show them that it is bad chick manners to invade the personal space of their betters. Occasionally a hen will try to injure a chick but my broody hens take care of that.

A story I've seen play out a few times, usually when the chicks are about 2 weeks old. A chick leave Mama's protection and go to eat at a common feeder next to the other hens. The hens may ignore the chick at first but it is usually not long before one pecks it to punish it for bad manners. The chick immediately runs back to Mama as fast as her little legs can carry her with those little wings flapping. Mama tends to ignore this, it takes a village to raise a child. But on the occasions a hen starts following that running chick Mama whips butt. Nobody threatens her babies. Not all broody hens protect their chicks like this but mine do. Each chicken and each set-up is different.

My broody hens tend to keep the chicks separate from the flock most of the time. If space is tight she can't do that so the chicks are much more likely to get pecked or attacked by another hen. That's part of why space is so important.

My hens hatch in nests 2' or 4' above the coop floor. I've seen a hen get chicks out of a 10 feet (3 m) high hay loft where they hatched. She said jump and they did, then bounced up and ran to her. My hens don't have a problem getting their chicks out of the nests but they don't go back to those nests. At night they have the chicks sleep on the coop floor until they are ready to roost. Again, it helps to have enough room that they can do this. If you have a nest or shelter on the floor the broody might or might not take them there.

My pop door is about a foot above the coop floor and the outside. The chicks cannot jump that high to get in or out so I build a set of stairs inside and outside with of paving stones I had laying around. The broody typically keeps the chicks in the coop for two or three days and then leads them outside in the morning and keeps them outside all day until bedtime, when she takes them to sleep on the coop floor.

I don't always do it like this. When my coop is getting crowded I wait until the hen brings her chicks off of the nest and then lock them in a shelter out in the run for two nights and three days. Then I let the hen and chicks free to roam in the run with the other chickens during the day. At night the hen takes them back to the shelter to sleep instead of sleeping inside the coop. I can lock that shelter for predator protection. By being raised with the flock the chicks can take care of themselves with the flock. They simply avoid the adults, but I have enough room they can do that.

Few people on here have the room I do. They cannot let a broody raise the chicks in the coop with the rest of the flock. Their situation is different from mine so it takes different solutions. That may involve leaving them separate so long that the human has to integrate the chicks when they are old enough instead of letting the broody do it.

I know I'm repeating a lot of what I already wrote in this old thread. It is an old thread and many people don't bother reading old posts, especially long ones. There is nothing wrong with reopening an old post but often you get more attention and better responses by opening your own thread. Just something to keep in mind for future questions.

Again, I'm glad you joined.

Thank you. This is very well-written and helpful. The hardest part for me with a hen hatching is when they turn mean to their chicks at 4-6 weeks. It just breaks my heart.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you. This is very well-written and helpful. The hardest part for me with a hen hatching is when they turn mean to their chicks at 4-6 weeks. It just breaks my heart.

It's mama's way of saying, "you're big chicks now and you don't need me any more." It's nature's way. They get over it pretty quick and soon they're part of the flock.

 

[triciayoung]

It's mama's way of saying, "you're big chicks now and you don't need me any more." It's nature's way. They get over it pretty quick and soon they're part of the flock.

I know, but it is sad to watch.

 

[FloppyGirl]

I know, but it is sad to watch.

I hear you, but then you run into situations where mama still has almost full grown birds trying to sleep under her wings at night and you just want her to cut the apron strings.

It all depends on the personality of the mama hens. Some are good to let the chicks be independent after 3-4 weeks. Some hang in there for far too long (in my opinion).

I have had a LOT of broody hens in the past three years. I let them do what feels natural to them. And just like in humans you get all different personality and parenting-style types. Some are chill, some are over-protective, some like to co-parent, etc. It really is great observing all of these dynamics.