Mom Vs. Brooder

[La_TomboyGirl]

My friend & I are enjoying the hatching season, but have a lil dilemma. Her broody hatched out 2 chicks, & we stuffed another feedstore chick under her, & she's raising them fine it seems, except that the other feedstore chicks chicks that are the same age that we have in the brooder under 24hr lights & heat are TWICE the size & development of the mom-raised. Otherwise, they seem happy & healthy. What would y'all do? Put them all in the brooder, or leave the 3 home-hatched with mom? We just want them to have the strongest , best start possible. Input appreciated! Thanks!

 

[ilovemydog]

If the chicks are doing good then leave them alone. A mom will take care of her baby's

If they start acting funny then do something!!

 

[Judy]

I've given a mama with chicks a few slightly larger feed store chicks and gotten away with it, but they weren't twice the size by any means.

 

[mycitychickens]

I had a broody silkie who would just sit on her unfertilized eggs for days and days so, I bought two feed store chicks for her to raise. We set up an area for her and the chicks in our garage with a nesting box and straw. We didn't have a heat lamp in the garage but, my hen kept them as warm as they needed to be. They all lived in the garage for a little over a month. When the chicks were old enough we let my hen and her chicks out in the yard to live from then on. At night we would lock them in their coop so nothing would be able to get them.

Anyways, the mom should keep them as warm as they need to be. :]]