Should I put them in a brooder?????

[2manyRoosters]

I have a 1yr old RIR who all of a sudden turned broody and decided to sit on a clutch of 16 eggs. 9 of them have hatched so far. 5 hens total occupy the coop(which is quite spacious). Should I put the chicks in my brooder in the basement like I do with the mail order chicks, or should I leave them with the hen(s) in the coop???

 

[chickmamawannabe]

Where are you? If you're in a northern or midwest state, I would probably put them in a brooder just to be safe. Also, if they are left with the hen, they might turn out a little more wild than if they were inside getting human contact every day.

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
You should leave them with mom as long as she is being a good mom !! No reason to take them away from her, Thats her prize for sitting like a good mom for 21 days. I'm in the same area as you are and I have 4 babies with mama hen... Yours will teach her babies what they need to know also she will keep them safe from the others oh and warm. Just keep an eye out and unless she is being a bad mom I wouldnt worry !! Its so much easyer to let mama hen raise her babies and so fun to watch !! Good luck.

 

[swtangel321]

oppps almost forgot......

 

[Pumpkinpup]

If it were me and the other hens are not being a threat to them, I'd leave them with mom so she can take care of them. It seems to work out better that way most of the time as long as there arn't any mischief makers in the coop.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I agree with Pumpkinpup. I would just leave them with mama as long as she is taking good care of them. She will teach them so many things that are natural, that we can not. I have a hen right now that was a 'bator baby' who left her chicks at 4 weeks old. She didn't show them how to roost or anything. They would still go in the nest and cry for her, while she was in the barn on the rafters. She didn't even try to call them up there, she just left them. I think it's because she wasn't 'shown' how to do it as a chick. But that's my opinion. The mama hen should keep the chicks very warm, but you could always put a light in the coop as well, to fend off some of the cold.

 

[Bandana]

If mama is doing a good job, that's always best. If she's not doing a good job, then take them away.