Questions

[marie_martin]

Good morning,

I need to know what to do with all the mamas and chicks I have going on here. I only have one coop and one outside brooder. So right now, I have Ms. Frizz and her 6 babies in the outside brooder. I have been letting them out into the run while the other chickens are in the yard but I can only do that when I am home and it was warm this weekend. Other than that, I have left them in the brooder. They are from 4 days old up to 1 week old (I added a couple to her hatch). Now I have another broody whose 4 eggs are hatching now. I moved her into my bathroom until I figure out what to do with her because it is pretty cold outside this morning and I was scared to leave her in the coop for fear the others might hurt the babies? Will it be possible to put the older chicks and mama back with the flock and put the new mom and babies in the brooder? Or should I make an inside brooder for now? I will have more eggs hatching in a couple of weeks and need to figure out a system for everyone. Could the two moms and all the babies share the outside brooder for now? I have got to work on getting my second coop up and ready but things have just been crazy. Thanks for your help and any suggestions.

Marie

 

[s6bee]

I don't have experience with this, but I had a question regarding this IF I decided to let them hatch eggs. I was told that if the hen hatched the eggs with the rest of the flock, the others will accept them. If I had her hatch away from them, I'd have to introduce later on when they are bigger, like around 5-7 wks. Not sure if that helps with your question.

Steph

 

[tororider]

I was under the same impression. I am admittidly a newbie, but it was my understanding that the hens knew what they were doing and could do it many times better than we ever could. I am sure others with far more knowledge and experience will chime in. Good luck.

 

[silkiechicken]

I've always just let the broody hatch her chicks in the coop with the rest and never did anything special for her except put food and water on the ground so the little one could reach it. No intergration problems at all which was great. However... she's only raised single chicks this way and they all ended up spoiled rotten and easily protected from others. I'd have given her more.. but that silly hen likes to go broody at the worst times of the year... ie winter while moulting!!!

 

[SillyChick]

Yes, you can now put the broody hen and her chicks to the coop with the others. The hen will aggressively protect her chicks from the other chickens. Don't get your hand too close to a broody; she will eat it.

Good luck!

 

[marie_martin]

Well, I don't have that problem. My girls are all very tame to me. I can reach under them with no problems. But I imagine it would be different if it were another chicken because like I said she attacked one of my little pullets that I put in the run with her and the babies. I was trying to see if the pullet would bother the chicks but she never even got close enough. So i will be moving mama and her babies into the coop with the others soon and putting my pullet that is in the house out into the brooder for a few days. By the way, we have 4 babies. They are all the same color, very light silver/white with a yellow hue. So maybe splash? All doing great. Thanks for your help.

Marie