ChickenShepherd_6116
Songster
I have a (currently) 7 month old Dark Brahma hen who is just the sweetest, most docile hen in my flock, and the moment I got her as a little chick I thought "boy would she make a good mama!". Next spring I am thinking of getting another batch of chicks (if I can get my dog to stop chasing them), but this time I am thinking about having this girl raise them outside, rather than me inside. I would not be having her hatch the chicks, as I don't have a rooster, but she would raise them from day 1. Here are a bunch of questions I have, but don't feel obligated to answer all of them (there's a lot lol):
- Would a 1yo Brahma make a good mama?
- Can the chicks be a few days old when you introduce them to their new mama, or do I have to find day old chicks?
- How do you tell when a hen is truly ready to brood versus just being fussy about her nest?
- What type of nesting area works best for broody hens raising chicks?
- Should she be separated from the rest of the flock?
- How often should the nesting box be cleaned during the broody period?
- How do you prevent predators or other hens from disturbing the nest?
- How many chicks can a single hen reasonably care for?
- How do you know if chicks are getting enough warmth and attention?
- When is it safe for the chicks to start exploring outside the nest?
- How do you handle the transition from broody hen to independent chicks?
- Have you ever had problems with the hen rejecting or abandoning chicks? How did you handle it?
- What are the biggest mistakes that first time broody hen users make?
