Raising chicks over the winter months any advise?

[Rugerman]

One of our hens showed up with 14 chicks to our surprise!
We fixed up a pen for her and her babies.we are adding a heat lamp.
Any other advise would be appreciated!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC What part of the world are you in? What's the weather like?

 

[Rugerman]

Hi and welcome to BYC What part of the world are you in? What's the weather like?

We live in Boyd’s maryland about 30 miles north of Washington DC . We are having a very warm fall. We will get snow this winter. We do not want to put them in the barn with the rest of the flock. I have heard they will eat baby chicks .

 

[rjohns39]

We live in Boyd’s maryland about 30 miles north of Washington DC . We are having a very warm fall. We will get snow this winter. We do not want to put them in the barn with the rest of the flock. I have heard they will eat baby chicks .

Do you have a safe place for mom and the chicks? Best if the other birds can see them but not get to them.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Our flock's always been fine with baby chicks--a few hens peck at them if they're eating together, but the chicks learn to stay away from the aggressive ones. I've certainly never had a chick eaten--or even injured. The roosters can be rather protective of them, actually--it's sweet. And it saves you the trouble of integrating them into the flock when they're older.

I really doubt you'll need that heat lamp; mummy should keep them warm, especially if she hatched out fourteen--sounds like she's a very responsible mother, to get that sort of hatch number.

What I would worry about is rats. They invade our barn every fall, and they can and will eat chicks. They come in the dark, so the chickens can't see them, and they're attracted by the feed--right until you bin it so that they can't get it and then they go for another food source.

Just my two cents and personal experience.

 

[sylviethecochin]

There's a really nice idea I saw in a magazine somewhere--I was looking for the picture online, but I can't find it.

Anyway, someone cut four semicircles in the edge of a big bucket, about two-by-three inches each, sanded them down, and then cut a large hole in the bottom of the bucket and covered that hole with wire (to let in light). They then flipped the bucket over and put it in the middle of the pen. The chicks were able to get free-choice starter feed, the hens couldn't touch it, and they could interact with the flock as they chose.

It was a really clever, well-executed idea, and I've wanted to try it since I've seen it.

 

[lazy gardener]

I agree that the heat lamp is entirely not necessary. Mama will do fine. How big are your coop, and your run? How many birds in your flock? Most broody hens do an admirable job protecting the chicks from being harassed by the rest of the flock. (Unless Mama is a wimpy low on pecking order kind of gal) If your coop/run are big enough, and have enough room so that Mama and babies can mingle with the rest of the flock, that will make integration of the chicks a non issue. However, the biggest issue with new chicks is that if Mama takes them down out of the coop, they may not be able to negotiate the ramp (assuming that's your set up) until they are a week or so old.

 

[Mrs. K]

Water might be your biggest issue if you do not use a heated bowl. I do not. When I hatched out 4 under a broody hen in october and 2 weeks later the weather dropped to negative 20. It was suggested that I soak grain, as an additional water source. They lived and thrived, they would run out eat, chase around and run back under mama.

I too, am in favor of having them in the with the flock.

 

[chickens really]

I raise all mine with Momma in the Coop and Run...Not to many Birds want to mess with a Broody Hen and her Chicks..My Rooster totally helps in caring for them..He Tidbits to the Chicks also..I have other Hens that like the Chicks too and follow Momma and Chicks around..I set out straw in a corner of the Coop or Momma takes over a nest Box and all is well as they grow..I put Chick starter in a bowl on the floor and easy access to water..Its simple and no integration issues later on...

 

[Molpet]

once my broodies take the chicks out of the box I let her decide where to take them.. They always end up with the flock in the coop.. mama's protection instinct is highest the first 2 weeks.. I had one hen try to peck a chick too hard and mama set her straight.. the roos and turkeys have been find with the chicks.