Should I separate Momma and babies?

[Abbyandherchicks]

I have 12 fertile eggs, they hatch in 2 days. when they hatch should I separate them? I do want the chicks to be pet hens and laying hens. I feel if I take the chicks away from her Mum I can bond with them more and they will learn to be friendly. What should I do? I know its not the best taking them away from her but I think I nhave to do it. I also can't look after her and the chicks at home. Im going to a different property, I was thinking of taking the babies with me and look after them myself, but I don't know if I can take Momma (I don't think). I have three kids and they would also love to have this experience. What should I do? Please help!

 

[L Home Farm]

Way less work to leave them with mom, and you can still bond plenty! I know I do and I never take them away.
Less stressful for everyone to stay put, travelling is hard on hens. I presume you’ll have someone looking after your other hens, maybe they can look after your family of chickens too?
If you’ve gotta do it, you’ve gotta do it, and I definitely wouldn’t personally.

 

[fluffycrow]

I would let them be together for as long as she wants to. You can work with her and the chicks and make them relatively friendly. Keeping mom has so many benefits for the chicks

 

[Abbyandherchicks]

Thanks for your advice! My hen is not relatively friendly so do you think she will still let my kids and I touch the chicks. I will still let them be with her and she can mother them but from time to time I would love to spent some quality time with them.
please send what you would do. Honest opinion thanks

 

[Sussex19]

Thanks for your advice! My hen is not relatively friendly so do you think she will still let my kids and I touch the chicks. I will still let them be with her and she can mother them but from time to time I would love to spent some quality time with them.

My hens are always at their most bold with chicks, and will happily take food from my hand even when they don't usually.
I would let them eat all their food up, so they are just a tiny bit hungry, and then go out with a handful of feed. Sit down with them, and let her show the chicks the food.
They should hope on your hand and eat out of it. Trying to catch them tends to have the opposite effect.
As they get older, they should always remember that your hand means food, and come up to it. You can then start enticing them up onto your lap, and try gently stroking them.

 

[fluffycrow]

Working with mom will allow you to have feeding rights. In other words, she'll eat from your hand, and teach the chicks to do the same. No sudden moves around them. That should be a good start. You'll have to adapt your techniques depending on how your particular birds respond to them, but all in all I think that you can have a good outcome, if you're willing to do the observation necessary

 

[LaFleche]

How old are your kids?

Leaving the chicks with the momma hen is not only the best for the chicks and her. While saving you lots of work and cost of energy (heat source!), it will also provide a great opportunity for valuable lessons for your kids learning to consider and respect the birds' needs while watching them grow.

Your kids will realize that chicks are not toys, and they will learn to control themselves around them in order to not scare them away and gain their trust.

They will be able to provide feed and clean their coop, later on keeping watch over the little family on their first outings etc. thus learning to be responsible for the animals in their care.

 

[LaFleche]

I feel if I take the chicks away from her Mum I can bond with them more and they will learn to be friendly.

I was thinking of taking the babies with me and look after them myself

I will still let them be with her and she can mother them

If you take the chicks from her she will not mother them later on or just from time to time whenever you visit her and bring the chicks.

She will not regard them as her own and might even fight and kill them as they would not have formed an established bond between them.

And even if she would not hurt them, the chicks might not be accepting of her but afraid of her as they would not know who she. is

 

[SueT]

Mama hen would be devastated if you take her babies. The chicks too, will be distressed, as they will have already imprinted on the hen. I agree with @LaFleche —it is best to teach the kids to respect animals’ needs and feelings.

 

[fluffycrow]

I agree. If you're thinking/hoping to let your kids in the same space as mom and her babies, they should know not to pick up, hold, or otherwise "roughhouse" the chicks