I've got a hen who went broody. She has 6 or 7 eggs under her from herself and my various other hens. Three of the chicks hatched yesterday. They're so cute! She has been all this time in the coop that is shared with the other 5 hens and 2 geese (my rooster died last week). It is attached to a large yard (approx. 80 ft x 80 ft) with lots of grass and weeds. The geese and other hens have not bothered her or the eggs, and don't seem to be bothering the chicks at all, either. Most of the hens actually spend most of the day out of the yard (there's a low gate they can hop) and free range around our 1-1/2 acre property. Mama hen has taken to the chicks and is being a good, protective mama. I'm hoping that more of the eggs will continue to hatch over the next few days, but don't know for sure how many of them were actually fertilized. I've been very hands off and just let nature take its course with this whole thing.
So here's my question: Do I need to feed these baby chicks or will the mama feed them? Right now we are just letting the chickens range and also feeding them fruit and vegetable scraps from the house. If I need to feed them, should I move them along with mama and the other eggs, or give it a week to see if more eggs hatch and then do it? Will the current babies need food by then? Should I create some kind of fence around them in the coop and put some chick starter and water in there for them?
Thanks in advance for your help. I prefer a more hands-off, nature-driven approach to things, so if intervention is not necessary, I'd prefer to let mama take care of them if she will. Please give any advice you feel would be helpful. Thanks!
So here's my question: Do I need to feed these baby chicks or will the mama feed them? Right now we are just letting the chickens range and also feeding them fruit and vegetable scraps from the house. If I need to feed them, should I move them along with mama and the other eggs, or give it a week to see if more eggs hatch and then do it? Will the current babies need food by then? Should I create some kind of fence around them in the coop and put some chick starter and water in there for them?
Thanks in advance for your help. I prefer a more hands-off, nature-driven approach to things, so if intervention is not necessary, I'd prefer to let mama take care of them if she will. Please give any advice you feel would be helpful. Thanks!
