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Post by Crystal Lake Farms on Apr 19, 2011 20:57:37 GMT -6
should i buy a full grown hen to help me with the 6 chicks i have or just love the time i have with them in the house lol?
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Post by Timbo on Apr 19, 2011 21:12:41 GMT -6
I cant tell u that one. There are some folks on here that deal with that more and know more about it. I dont do it myself. I raise them by hand.
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Post by herb on Apr 20, 2011 7:21:39 GMT -6
If you put little chicks with a new hen, you may get pecked to death chicks. Build a brooder and get them out of the house, the dust will be awful if you keep them in very long.
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Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Apr 20, 2011 10:34:26 GMT -6
I agree. If you have a broody hen it may work if you slip them in at night but I would watch them. I would just keep them in a brooder if it was me.
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Post by Crystal Lake Farms on Apr 20, 2011 16:27:35 GMT -6
ty everyone very much i think i will just raise them and not get anymor yet.
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Post by gardendaddy on Apr 21, 2011 7:41:11 GMT -6
Hey Rhinomd...I had a BO hen that went broody and sat on a nest of golf balls. Then moved and confined her to herself and at almost 4-weeks of broodiness, removed the golf balls and slid some new chicks I purchased from R & J Feed here in Jackson under her and she is as happy as a clam....then a week later, I even gave her 3-more younger chicks. She is very happy with her brood of 9 chicks. They are now 3 & 4 weeks old. I plan to keep them together another 2 or 3 weeks then move her back with the flock and let the little buggers grow a bit and then put them in with the others at about 16 weeks of age. But again...make sure your hen stays broody before ever trying this to make sure they will take the chicks and it is not just a "passing idea" she has. otherwise she will likely kill them.
I have a Golden Laced Wyandotte I think wants to go broody but cannot decide for sure...we will see what happens with her later. If they remain broody, she is wanting some babies badly and will accept them most likely...if she is just playing at broodiness, I might let her alone and let her get over it. But if you do not have a broody hen then just give them some heat, food and water and they will be fine.
BTW...I am hoping she does go broody as I have a few more chicks coming on May 4th and would love for her to raise them for me...I have found it very easy to keep these chicks with MOM doing all the real work...and they are so cute to watch riding on her back and her "showing them them ropes".
Mike
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Post by cks4me on Apr 21, 2011 11:26:55 GMT -6
I think it would be pretty ify..you would not know the hen she would not you. She would be stressed by the move and if she wasn't sitting on her own chicks and you just put chicks under her she would kill them. I would never try that one.
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Post by gardendaddy on Apr 21, 2011 18:25:09 GMT -6
To clarify... I would never buy a new hen and then just stick chicks under her....she would have to be one I already owned, who knew me and had been sitting a long while before trying that for sure...not with a strange, new hen.
Mike
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