Question on free-ranging babies...

Yes. I've had quite a few broody moms with chicks under their belt on our free ranging place now, and I always "supplement" some chick starter or flock raiser feed. Our place provides a LOT of food, and I even have some 5 month old pullets (who by choice) that only eat about a quarter cup of feed a day. But, for chicks, it is wise to give them the amount they need - And make sure it is out of reach of your older hens. Especially if you chick starter is medicated. If you're having troubles with that, then switch to non-medicated or get some flock raiser feed.

 

Get a box or tote, cut only holes big enough for the chicks to get in plus some air holes all around the box. You can make chick starter available to the chicks all day this way. I feed my chicks starter with a little water this cuts down waste and helps keep the chicks from getting an impacted crop. If you do not add water to the starter then put water in the box also.

BTW scratch or cracked corn is really bad for the chicks, lack of nutrients will hinder their development. I only use scratch for the adults when it rains, because the pellets break down on wet ground or in the feeding pan outside. You can buy food that is for both adults and chicks you just have to make oyster shell available to the layers. I really wish the food manufacturers would make a pellet that is yellow so it could be tossed in grassy areas. Adding a coating so it would not break down so fast when wet would be nice too.

 

My Cochin hen raised her latest chick as free range.. seems to prefer showing her how to scratch and they spent a lot of time in the yard working over the grass and then would bring the chick into the chicken area and check out the corn I put down daily as scratch. Sometimes I would add a little chicken starter to the corn but not much. All of my chickens (20) scratch the same area and the chick held it's own but the momma hen was not interested in the feeders at all so the chick avoided them too. I find that free ranging them thy do just fine with a momma hen showing them the ropes.

 

Prior to releasing hen and chicks from hutch, give them starter then. A single crop filling will likely meet needs in event free range forage too lean.

 

when my broody bantam hatched out her 2 babies in Sept. I just let her take over. I had flock raiser and scratch offered for my whole flock and oystershell in a small feeder. I kept a small dish of food and water by the nest box so the babies could get it. I never had to separate them from my flock, everybody just accepted that there were now 2 babies, plus she did a very good job of protecting them.
She actually did not take them outside of their coop house until about day 5, and even then for about a week, she would take them back inside after a while, take them out again and so on, until about 2 weeks old then she was out with them and the whole flock. My rooster was great with the babies from day one, always offering them food.
These babies thrived with the mama, ate scratch, flock raiser and whatever they found in the yard. Of course, it was warmer then, so your babies will probably need a lot more starter/flock raiser.