Mama hen took her new chicks outside.....one died from the cold temps....help!!

[hawtchick]

So my bantam Cochin is a mama for the first time and the babies are 3-5 days old. The 3 day old one was the one that died. It was shivering when it was outside, and I put it back under it's mom, but when I checked on it 2 hours later, mama had taken them all out to the yard, and the littlest one was dead. UGH. Do I need to lock her up? She clearly has the instinct to take them out to see the world, but we are in New Hampshire and today was very windy and in the 20's. I don't want to lose anymore.
What should I do?? I didn't want to segregate them but I don't want this to happen again.

Thank you!!

 

[Judy]

It's not unusual for mama hens to take young chicks outdoors in the cold. They should get under her to warm up when they get cold. My guess is, this chick did not die form cold. If the others are OK, and she pays attention to them and covers them when they go under her, I would let her do her thing.

 

[AAJ]

Put a light over them and lock them up.

 

[hawtchick]

I did put a light on them with her, but should I put a fence or something around her? I think she wants to get out and eat and poo, but she will take the chicks with her if she does that.

 

[PtldChick]

This is one reason chickens in the wild often don't lay eggs and then sit on a clutch this early in the year...the light tells them when it's warm enough to begin starting a new family. We've circumvented that with artifical lighting and breeding for laying.

I would put the momma and babies in a spearate enclosure to protect them from the flock with enough room for her to eat, drink and poo. That way, she can do her business but not be too far from the chicks.

 

[EmAbTo48]

Agree totally with PP about that wild chickens do not hatch their eggs this early at all I am in Northern Wisconsin. I try not to allow my hens to brood at this time, I did this year, and my hen hatched out one of the 4 eggs she was on. So right away they both were moved into the house for 6 weeks!! LOL Mom made a mess of the floor with bedding from the Large dog kennel they were in, but its WAY to cold even with mom to sit on top of them to be outside, the wind itself here sometimes is hard on my adult chickens let alone a chick!

A 3 day old or 5 day old does not have its outside feathers at all! They shouldnt be getting wet or chilled at all. I would take her and the rest and put them in something lock them up. She will be fine you can always take her out of the pen and allow her to stretch her legs and then put her back with the chicks. I wouldn't let mom start showing the world to the chicks till they are feathered out. You more than likely will lose more if they dont get locked up for the time being.