Taking away chick from hen or let the hen raise the babies..............

[luckychik]

We have a nice coop and a pen but I have 11 chickens in there. (5 are roosters) I am wondering would it be best for the chicks if I pull them from the hen. My hubby said no, but I just dont know how the chicks will be able to survive in the coop with all the big chickens and I wonder if they will be nice the chicks. My pen is really not suitable for small chicks either. PLUS its been getting cold here too.

What do you do with your chicks and why.......Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

When a hen hatches chicks I put them in a cage or dog crate in the coop with the other chickens. At about day 3 I open the door during the day so the hen can take the babies out to eat, drink, and scratch around, but I watch them closely so that the babies don't get separated from Mom. Usually by 7 days I can leave the door open 24 hrs and the hen just brings them in and out at her liking, and by then the others don't bother them.

 

[Daisy8s]

Hens have been raising chicks without human intervention for thousands of years. When my broody starts sitting I put her and the eggs in an area of the coop that is sheltered from the rest (Ithink of a lean-to made of chicken wire) but still inside the coop. When the eggs hatch she will know where to take the chicks so they are safe.

She will call them to shelter under her if there are problems from others...she will teach them to scratch for food...she will call them under her if they're cold or need a nap. She does it all by instinct and she does it far better than any man-made brooder.

Do make sure there is a chick-level feeder and water. Do make sure the steps in and out of the coop are gradual enough little chicks can hop up them (2-3 inches high should be fine).That's all you need to do.

My broody hen is the smallest hen and the lowest on the pecking order, yet NOBODY messed with her chicks.

 

[karlamaria]

We have a nice coop and a pen but I have 11 chickens in there.  (5 are roosters) I am wondering would it be best for the chicks if I pull them from the hen.  My hubby said no, but I just dont know how the chicks will be able to survive in the coop with all the big chickens and I wonder if they will be nice the chicks.   My pen is really not suitable for small chicks either.  PLUS its been getting cold here too.

What do you do with your chicks and why.......Thanks

My broodys hat he out eggs last week ad the week before, we leave them the mama, she will care for them, they always do. 5 roosters is a bit much, unless to have a whole lot of girls lol, there fine, let mama takccare of them she will do a great job

 

[donrae]

You're going to have to address your rooster numbers sometime, but you knew that, right?

I'm always a fan of not interferring. Let momma raise them. She'll keep the other birds off and teach the chicks how to interact with the flock. Folks have more problems trying to put chicks back into the flock after brooding them for 6 weeks or so. Plus, won't you still have the space issues then? What are your long term plans, are you getting rid of birds or building more housing?