Pros and Cons of letting hen hatch own chicks?

[juliezoo]

I think it comes down to us working with them either way.... hopefully even a broody hen was well socialized so her letting us work with chicks wouldn't be an issue AND the plus is that the chicks would already be socialized with the established flock (and that's HUGE). Obviously socializing chicks we get as day-olds shouldn't be difficult, though they will each have their own personality. The concern then is introducing them to the established flock. I haven't had to do that yet, but will soon and it makes me nervous. I've heard enough stories about how older hens kill the younger ones. I think there are a lot of factors there though and most of those we can control

Anybody have issues with introducing chicks to an established flock? Or, in our case, a flock that was neglected in the past and has been cared for by us for about 9months now?

 

[loanwizard]

My experience has been the incubator, brooder, intro has been easier than brooding some. I have a mixture of chickens, but I do have a silkie and a cochin bantam. I have had some hens go broody but then leave the nest after a week, I have my cochin sitting one egg now. I have also had my hens get "confused" and switch nests, ruining eggs lol! I suppose I ought to take a broody hen and separate her. But... how many eggs can a broody hatch, and if I separate them, isn't that going to mean re introductions later?

 

[spartacus_63]

I use Bio-Bators almost exclusively to hatch my eggs. I do not hatch a large number of eggs nor do I do it all year. The biggest con to Bio-Bators is timing. If you are hatching your own eggs and are not deep into a breeding frenzy, chances are this method with work great for you. If you get into a breeding project, you will want to hatch more eggs and getting a hen to go broody when you have the right eggs available is daunting.

I have never had any anti social chicks that were raised by hens. They need less human interaction because momma takes care of their needs...including pasty butt. But I still would handle them and feed them just like incubator chicks. Feeding your babies live meal worms will turn them into your bestest friend EVER.

Momma also will teach them how to forage and protect them from the flock until she is ready to introduce them into the flock. No traumatic issues of moving your chicks into the coop.

I have brooder boxes (wire dog kennels with card board around the bottom) that I put the broody hen & eggs in and three weeks later I have new fuzzy butts. A few days after the chicks hatch, I move them to a brooder coop that has it's own enclosed run. I keep the gate to the run closed for another week or until the chicks are getting out & about. I then open the gate to allow momma to take the kids out into the yard. The hen will eventually, gradually introduce the chicks to the flock and at some point she will move from the brooder coop, back to the main coop. If the chicks follow her (some will, some will go back to the brooder coop for a while) she will continue to protect them for a little while longer. With this method I have never had any real issues with integrating the chicks into the flock. They do still get pecked & chased, but that is all part of the natural order. Any cockerals will get pushed around by the older boys once they start to come of age, but again, that is part of the deal.

These are just my methods. Nature has a way of making things work and I have found that people only get in the way. If you have a broody hen and fertile eggs, you will have chicks in about three weeks.

Good luck & enjoy.

 

[stephensc7146]

Great advice everyone! I think when the time comes, I may let it go the natural way!

 

[Jenny28]

I use Bio-Bators almost exclusively to hatch my eggs. I do not hatch a large number of eggs nor do I do it all year. The biggest con to Bio-Bators is timing. If you are hatching your own eggs and are not deep into a breeding frenzy, chances are this method with work great for you. If you get into a breeding project, you will want to hatch more eggs and getting a hen to go broody when you have the right eggs available is daunting.

I have never had any anti social chicks that were raised by hens. They need less human interaction because momma takes care of their needs...including pasty butt. But I still would handle them and feed them just like incubator chicks. Feeding your babies live meal worms will turn them into your bestest friend EVER.

Momma also will teach them how to forage and protect them from the flock until she is ready to introduce them into the flock. No traumatic issues of moving your chicks into the coop.

I have brooder boxes (wire dog kennels with card board around the bottom) that I put the broody hen & eggs in and three weeks later I have new fuzzy butts. A few days after the chicks hatch, I move them to a brooder coop that has it's own enclosed run. I keep the gate to the run closed for another week or until the chicks are getting out & about. I then open the gate to allow momma to take the kids out into the yard. The hen will eventually, gradually introduce the chicks to the flock and at some point she will move from the brooder coop, back to the main coop. If the chicks follow her (some will, some will go back to the brooder coop for a while) she will continue to protect them for a little while longer. With this method I have never had any real issues with integrating the chicks into the flock. They do still get pecked & chased, but that is all part of the natural order. Any cockerals will get pushed around by the older boys once they start to come of age, but again, that is part of the deal.

These are just my methods. Nature has a way of making things work and I have found that people only get in the way. If you have a broody hen and fertile eggs, you will have chicks in about three weeks.

Good luck & enjoy.

 

[janelle18]

I just got my first chickens a couple weeks ago, and reading about hatching out chickens is making me want to do it so badly!!!

I would rather have on of my girls hatch out her own ( when i was young we had chickens that would hatch out) but I don't have a rooster! What's the best way to proceed without getting a permanent rooster?!

Also was reading a thread earlier about incubating, seemed like an exciting experience, but also verrrrry stressful! I want to try the natural way!

 

[stephensc7146]

I just got my first chickens a couple weeks ago, and reading about hatching out chickens is making me want to do it so badly!!!

I would rather have on of my girls hatch out her own ( when i was young we had chickens that would hatch out) but I don't have a rooster! What's the best way to proceed without getting a permanent rooster?!

Also was reading a thread earlier about incubating, seemed like an exciting experience, but also verrrrry stressful! I want to try the natural way!

I'm PRETTY SURE you can order fertilized eggs. Where from I couldn't tell you. Does any of your friends family, or neighbors have chickens (roosters and hens) that they could give you a few eggs to hatch or buy some off of them?

 

[janelle18]

Yes, i have looked at some website, but most are U.S based and don't usually ship to Canada. Would one of my hens brood eggs that i got from another farm?

 

[stephensc7146]

Yes, i have looked at some website, but most are U.S based and don't usually ship to Canada. Would one of my hens brood eggs that i got from another farm?

If they are in a broody mood, they will try to hatch golf balls if you gave it to them. lol They will take to eggs that aren't theirs, as long as they are broody enough to sit with them full time. A lot of people use golf balls as a test round to see if the hen will sit with them for days on end before they put real eggs in with her.

 

[janelle18]

If they are in a broody mood, they will try to hatch golf balls if you gave it to them. lol They will take to eggs that aren't theirs, as long as they are broody enough to sit with them full time. A lot of people use golf balls as a test round to see if the hen will sit with them for days on end before they put real eggs in with her.

hmmm, mine will often lay in the same box, but i don't often see them sitting on them. The golf ball idea is a good test! Might try that one! Thanks