When to let her out

[DobieLover]

My PBR broody hen hatched her little clutch Wednesday night. She has three chicks. She is in the built in brooder with attached run in my coop. She feeds them the medicated chick starter mash and she is obviously eating that too.
The rest of the flock knows the chicks have hatched. Mom was second in command so I think she'll be fine protecting them. Dad also seems to be very gentle with the new batch of pullets (even though they are not his) so I think he may assist with raising/protecting the chicks.

My problem is this: I feed a fermented mix that is about 65% whole grains/fish meal/Fertrell Poultry Nutri-balancer and the rest Flock Raiser. All mixed together and fermented. The feed is kept in troughs high enough off the run floor to prevent wood chips getting kicked in it.
If I leave a separate trough low enough to the ground for mom and chicks, everyone else will polish it off.
If mom decides to feed the chicks out of the main trough, she'll likely drop some whole grains for them. I don't think the chicks are ready to eat that. I don't want to take the rest of the flock off their normal feed. I can make it medicated easily enough by adding the right amount of Corid to it so that isn't a big deal.
I didn't start mixing in the "adult" feed to the current pullets until they were 3 weeks old. That seems a long time to keep mom in the brooder/brooder run. They have plenty of room, about 42 sq ft, but I think she should be allowed to take her chicks into the flock when she thinks they are ready.
What would you do?

 

[sourland]

Since 3 weeks worked on your new batch of pullets, I'd be tempted to pull a repeat performance since they do have plenty of space. Maybe mornings and evenings in the broody pen and part of the day with the main flock ?

 

[DobieLover]

Since 3 weeks worked on your new batch of pullets, I'd be tempted to pull a repeat performance since they do have plenty of space. Maybe mornings and evenings in the broody pen and part of the day with the main flock ?

Getting her to go back in would be an interesting experience. Especially with the way Dad feels about me. And don't offer up your recipe again!

 

[Ridgerunner]

As long as the chicks have grit they can handle the whole grains. I don't see where that should be an issue.

The adults do tend to wipe out any feed you set aside for the chicks. That can get aggravating. I built this out of scrap, one of those red chick feeders fits inside. It needed repairs when I took this photo but the chicks can go in through the ends. The adults cannot get to the feed. The broody cannot eat from this but she quickly learns to bring her chicks over. There are all kinds of ways to build a creep feeder. You can do an internet search for ideas.

What would i do? Get the hen and chicks in with the flock as soon as I could so she can start integration. The longer you wait the more likely for you to have issues.

 

[DobieLover]

As long as the chicks have grit they can handle the whole grains. I don't see where that should be an issue.

The adults do tend to wipe out any feed you set aside for the chicks. That can get aggravating. I built this out of scrap, one of those red chick feeders fits inside. It needed repairs when I took this photo but the chicks can go in through the ends. The adults cannot get to the feed. The broody cannot eat from this but she quickly learns to bring her chicks over. There are all kinds of ways to build a creep feeder. You can do an internet search for ideas.

View attachment 1858262

What would i do? Get the hen and chicks in with the flock as soon as I could so she can start integration. The longer you wait the more likely for you to have issues.

I think the bars of the broody breaker are wide enough to let the chicks in. I'll rig something up in that. Thanks for the idea.
That was my exact concern. I want her out with the flock ASAP. She took them to the brooder run yesterday so they had access to small stones and concrete sand. But they are less than 72 hours old. I scatter chick grit around in the main run, rig up a "chicks only" feeding station and open the brooder door.

 

[Perris]

My broodies bring their chicks out at day 2, and will eat and offer the chicks both chick starter and ff, and the chicks eat both without issue. (My flock has grain ff start and end of the day and free ranges in between; chicks are incubated by broodies and raised within the flock.) I put the chick feed in a separate dish under the coop while the ff is offered at the feed station some distance away, and the broody and chicks find it fast because they don't venture far from the coop initially, and get into the habit of coming out of the coop and going straight underneath. The rest of the flock twigs on in a couple of days that chick starter is delicious, but the broody and chicks still get first dibs while habits change, and I just refill if the chicks are still hungry after the rest have gone through.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree that getting the broody with chicks out there now will solve a lot of problems later.
I would offer the chick feed to everyone for three weeks. That is what my flock eats as in I cannot always get flock feed. I water down the feed until it is good sand castle consistency and a feed it in several places. I think dry chicken feed is very dehydrating.

Buy a bag, feed everyone, and when it is gone or nearly gone, go back to your concoction.

I am SO wishing for a broody hen!

Mrs K

 

[DobieLover]

I agree that getting the broody with chicks out there now will solve a lot of problems later.
I would offer the chick feed to everyone for three weeks. That is what my flock eats as in I cannot always get flock feed. I water down the feed until it is good sand castle consistency and a feed it in several places. I think dry chicken feed is very dehydrating.

Buy a bag, feed everyone, and when it is gone or nearly gone, go back to your concoction.

I am SO wishing for a broody hen!

Mrs K

I've never fed dry feed. Always fermented from day one.

I let her out!
They are too cute for words!!

Moms BFF, Astrid, meets them first inside the brooder after I opened the door.
Astrid was broken of her broodiness about 4 days ago. I hope this doesn't push her back to the dark side. The black arrow points to the three chicks.

Daddy watching over the little family.

Mom taking a real dust bath.

Amelia joins in

 

[Shadrach]

I think they'll be fine DL. Chicks here are out and about on day two and three. Many won't eat anything mum doesn't tell them is okay. I have problems getting them to eat the medicated feed because mum will just scratch it out of my hand and pick the bits she thinks are fine for the chicks.

 

[DobieLover]

I think they'll be fine DL. Chicks here are out and about on day two and three. Many won't eat anything mum doesn't tell them is okay. I have problems getting them to eat the medicated feed because mum will just scratch it out of my hand and pick the bits she thinks are fine for the chicks.

Thanks, Shad.
I posted more info in the Cafe.
That little eyelid dangler got a pop in on Draco! So damn funny!! It's just got to be a cockerel.