WHICH WAYS BETTER???

[nefty]

WHICH WAYS BETTER TO RAISE CHICKS?? WITH HEN OR WITH OUT HEN???

 

[kubota girl]

i have never raised chicks with a hen before... they do really good in a tote with wood chips in it by there selves. THEY HAVE TO HAVE A HEATING LAMP IF YOU DONT HAVE A HEN!!!!! Or they will die of freezing.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I wouldn't say one is better then the other, just personal preference. If you have a good broody hen to raise chicks it makes it a lot less work for you. But personally I don't mind raising brooder chicks myself.

 

[Kelsie2290]

There is a good BYC article that covers a lot of the pros and cons of both using a broody and using an incubator.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens-verus-incubators-the-pros-and-cons
I like both methods, it just depends on the particular situation. Think the chicks will be fine either way as long as you care for them correctly, main advantage with a broody is that the chicks will integrate into the flock better/ easier usually. For smaller batches of chicks I will use a broody if I have one, for larger ones I tend to use an incubator/ brooder. Shipped eggs I always start in an incubator, but may move the eggs to a broody later.

 

[nefty]

THANKYOU ALL FOR THE HELP

 

[CasadasHens]

And it is lovely watching a hen with her babies!

 

[lazy gardener]

I say, any way you can get them! If I had a broody, and it was her first experience, I think I'd be tempted to set some eggs in the incubator at the same time she started brooding. That way, if she hatched chicks, but did not tend them, they could be moved into the brooder with the incubated chicks. And if she successfully hatched a few and proved to be a good Mom, I'd foster the incubated chicks with her.

 

[CasadasHens]

Great idea