Need some advice on hatching eggs and baby chicks

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mychicks1313

mychicks1313

In the Brooder
6 Years
Oct 16, 2013
10
0
22
I am new to this chicken hobby, and have some questions about hatching eggs and baby chicks. We have a chick that is 4 days old. I have it with momma in a separate cage with in the coop with a heat lamp. We now have another broody hen that just just laid. Can I put that egg in with the momma and the new chick for her to hatch or will she reject it?
 
She will reject it. After a few days a hen will even abandon her own eggs if they have not hatched yet in favor taking care of the chicks that did hatch. In order to brood she has to sit for 3 straight weeks with only brief food and bathroom breaks. This clashes with taking care of her babies. She can't do both. Why not let the other broody hatch them?
 
Space is an issue. I don't have a place to put the momma and chick, if I need to put the broody in the rabbit hutch with the heat lamp. I live in Minnesota and we are coming up on some cold, cold few months. How old does the chick have to be before I can put them in the run with the rest of the chickens? Can I leave the chick with the broody hen??
 
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Welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us! If the hen is taking care of the chick already it will be better to leave the chick with her. She will raise the chick until it's about 6-7 weeks old before weaning it. Before she does this, let her and the chick mingle with the rest of the flock. If the chick is introduced to the flock with mom they will accept it much more readily as part of the group, regardless of it's age. But the sooner you do this the better. Once she's weaned the chick it's going to have to fend for itself, so do it now while it has a mom to look out for and protect it.
 

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