New Baby Chicks

[outback in tx]

One of my hens has been brooding on the nest for about two and a half weeks now.When i went out to feed this morning i had (3) new chicks.Question is do i need to put them in a brooder to take care of them or do i just let nature take its course?Please advise......Ty...out back in Tx.

 

[newmarch2014]

I have not raised any from egg since my family had chickens when I was a kid but we always just let the mother deal with them. The trick was to give her a spot that she could be comfortable that the chicks could get in and out of also and was a bit more private in case she needed to protect them from any of the other chickens. The thing to really watch for is how the rooster reacts to the chicks some are deadly the first time around. If the hen is being proactive then that is always the easiest way to ''raise'' them, she usually knows what she is doing. She will slowly introduce them to the rest of the flock and show them the ropes. I have a friend now that moves them to their own enclosure (a dog kennel and a fence around it) for the first month till the chicks are big enough to get around and stand up for themselves a bit but sets it all up right next to the run so that the rest of them are seeing the new additions and getting used to them.

 

[outback in tx]

Ty newmarch2014