New Momma

lilwoman69

Hatching
Jun 18, 2015
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7
I have a silkie chicken who has been laying on four eggs. They all look fertile. She is in a nesting box in the coop with approximately 45 other chickens. My question is will she take care of them? What about food and water? We normally start chicks in the house when we buy them from the store but we were letting her do the "momma" thing. Should we take her and the eggs and place them in a separate area before they hatch or leave them alone?
 
I have a silkie chicken who has been laying on four eggs. They all look fertile.  She is in a nesting box in the coop with approximately 45 other chickens. My question is will she take care of them?  What about food and water?  We normally start chicks in the house when we buy them from the store but we were letting her do the "momma" thing.  Should we take her and the eggs and place them in a separate area before they hatch or leave them alone?


Different people have different ideas on this. I'd leave the hen where she is if she is not having other hens intrude and lay eggs in her box. I would separate her from the rest of the flock after the eggs hatch for a few days and then return the family to the flock as long as all seem to get along. Food and water should be placed so the chicks are able to reach it. Normally, the hen will take care of her chicks in a flock setting. If this is the hen's first brood keep an eye on them for a day or so. Not all hens are mother material. Good luck.
 
Set up a secure wire pen within the coop for her, as soon as the chicks hatch transfer mom and babies into the pen, providing feed and water, leave them in there for at least a week, two is better, then start letting them out under supervision, return them to the secure pen when you can't watch, allowing more time until you see that no one will bother them, switch the flock to a non medicated grower until the chicks are fully grown.
 

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