My New Babies

[tofumama]

I need some advice from some wise chicken-mama's and papa's

My silkie hen hatched 6 eggs this past thursday. (only one of them is hers, incidentally...she took eggs from a bunch of hens and 'adopted them') The chicks are all doing great, she is doing great and all is well. Currently, they are living in a rabbit hutch aka the 'birthing suite' that has a hidden box for her nest and an open area where their food/water is. The hutch is in the yard so she can see the other hens and they can see her. My question is...now what do I do? When do I put them together? Also, it is supposed to get down to freezing and below the next few nights with days only in the 50's. Should I bring the chicks in and let mama go back with the flock? Leave them in the 'suite'? Put them with the other hens? (our Roo had to go live somewhere else 2 weeks ago as he was attacking my kids) I know the mama is doing a great job as the chicks look great and I knwo she will keep them warm but 30 degrees is darn cold! What's a hovering 'grandma' to do?

 

[The Chicken People]

Can you give her a heat lamp?

 

[tofumama]

I could hook one up to the hutch. I thought about bringing the hutch up on my deck and doing just that but I wanted the original hens and the new peeps to see each other hoping that would make the transition to them all living together easier...would it be better to just bring the chicks inside without mom and put them under a lamp?

 

[silkydragon]

the hen will take good care of them no need for a heatlamp i have a sebright taking care of a baby chick atm only 1 egg hatched but it has been cold and stormy here in southeastern ohio we even got a frost the other night i let my hen out of the broody cage into a baby pen i have for when i get hatchery chicks after 2days she promptly escaped with her baby and they are now running around with the rest of the flock i free range though and she is usually at the oposite end of the yard as the maine flock

 

[tofumama]

Silkydragon, do they go into the main henhouse at night?