Lots of questions- teenage pullets and broody hen

[maggieandotis]

Hi! I have lots of questions that I am hoping this group can help me with. This is my first year having chickens so pretty new at all of this.

1. On January 21st one of my hens became broody, 21 days later on February 12th two new chicks were hatched. They are now 13 weeks old. I have them in a smaller separate coop in the yard with the other main coop. They can visually see each other but not touch. When is it safe to let them out to join the adult hens and my sweet rooster? They are almost the same size but not quite.
2. If I let them out before they are 16 weeks old (about 4 weeks before they start laying) do I need to keep them on the starter feed or is it okay to allow them to eat the layer feed with the extra calcium?
3. Another hen became broody three weeks ago but because of a planned vacation we had this last week, I didn't let her sit on any of the eggs because (rightly or wrongly) I didn't want our dog sitter to have to worry about separating the eggs or having any of the chicks hatch while I was gone. Now that I am back and will be around for the foreseeable future, do I let her sit on the eggs so she can hatch some? I worry that she doesn't eat or drink as much while she is brooding. Will she naturally stop brooding after three weeks after she doesn't have any results?

Thank you for your insight and experience! I appreciate it so very much!
Maggie

 

[Silviaschicks]

I don’t know much about this topic, but for question number 3, your hen will get off the nest to eat and drink. She knows what she needs to stay healthy, she’ll be fine

 

[maggieandotis]

I don’t know much about this topic, but for question number 3, your hen will get off the nest to eat and drink. She knows what she needs to stay healthy, she’ll be fine

Thank you so much! That's a relief.

 

[Silviaschicks]

Also they’re old enough for layer feed, I started my girls on layer feed around 8 weeks

 

[maggieandotis]

Also they’re old enough for layer feed, I started my girls on layer feed around 8 weeks

Perfect! Thanks again!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Layer feed has too much calcium for anything but layers. Put the entire flock on all-flock or grower until the younger ones are ready to lay (and if you hatch more chicks you'll need to extend that out for the new babies as well)

Just curious as to why you didn't let the mama integrate the now 13-week-old chicks for you? As long as the mama was doing her job properly it was "safe" to let them join the flock early on. Something to think about, because if you're hatching even more chicks, it would really save you a lot of effort to let the broody do the work for you.