When to let Mother Hen and Chicks outside

[joyhen]

Hi All;

We had a Barred Rock go Broody and she hatched us 7 little chicks. They are 2 weeks old now. When should we start letting her take them out and around the Yard? We will supervise of course? Also, right now they are in our basement in a cage, when can we move them to an unheated out building? (Nights get down to just above freezing) Will the Hen keep them warm? We have other chickens and a rooster in the yard to, will they bother the new chicks?

 

[Chemguy]

The hen will keep them warm better than you or I could ever hope to.

We had a hen go broody, so we gave her some chicks. We placed a cage in the coop, put momma and the chicks into it. It got to freezing on more than one night, and everyone was just peachy. The chicks would pop out, get some food and water, then pop back under the hen. Over time, they have spent more and more time roaming about the coop. Yesterday, mom was trying to get them to follow her out into the run. None of our other chickens has said boo. Momma ruffles up if anyone gets too close.

So, based on my experience, now would be a fine time to bring the chicks out.

 

[orumpoultry]

I've had a lot of broodies raise a lot of chicks. Chemguy said it pretty good, they do better tan we ever could. A good hen is a great protector. I have hens that would do more than give their life if they could for their chicks. I had one hen a few years ago meet a hawk mid dive, she fought him back into the air. He left half dead,, she lost her sight, but she raised several more batches of chicks until she passed a few years later.

I prefer raising under broodies.

 

[ButchGood]

When I was living in Pa. we had 60 birds at one time. Hens would go broody, set on some eggs, hatch out a clutch, and raise them up outside from the start with no help from any person. This seamed to work excellent.

 

[mstricer]

Take the cage out to your coop and put them in it. Everything will be fine. After 2 weeks I'm surprised she is being nice.

 

[joyhen]

Well, we took her out and put her in our new goat barn, which is next to the chicken coop. She seems to really enjoy the larger space. We left the door open so she could take them outside, but she didn't. Which was a good thing because as I was working on our new goat fence we had a fox attack one of our other hens. I was able to chase the fox and it dropped the hen and so far it seems to be fine, but I think for now we will leave her and the chicks in the barn with the door closed.

 

[ButchGood]

I pity the fox that messes with the mama hen.

 

[kimthom66]

I've had a lot of broodies raise a lot of chicks. Chemguy said it pretty good, they do better tan we ever could. A good hen is a great protector. I have hens that would do more than give their life if they could for their chicks. I had one hen a few years ago meet a hawk mid dive, she fought him back into the air. He left half dead,, she lost her sight, but she raised several more batches of chicks until she passed a few years later.

I prefer raising under broodies.

I have a momma hen and 2 baby bantam cochins that I had to move inside to a brooder in my garage because the temperatures dropped during the hatch and I lost 4 chicks. So now I ma very wary about letting momma and baby's back out? I have a separate coop that I intended to be hers but the inside space is actually smaller than the brooder she is in now, but momma hen seems to want to get back out? Temps are still below normal but at least above freezing now overnight. Should I put her in coop with the babies and open the pop door to the outside and watch?

This is her little coop.

Momma hen with her littles, they will be two weeks old the end of this week?