Keeping a Broody Hen and Chicks in the Flock - Yes, You Can!

Broody hens don't have to be kept separate from the main flock if you follow some simple guidelines. Letting a broody raise her chicks with the rest of the flock can make things much easier for you and your chickens.

Learn more about broody hens:

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[reedjasonf]

I had a broody hen. Got 12 fertilized eggs from a neighbor and she hatched them all out. Didn't separate or supply a 2nd coop at all. She just raised them as part of the flock from day 1.

[kylelouer]

After last session having a broodie gal hatch some eggs it’s become our favorite part of raising chickens. I love watching mama teach the babies and lead them into the coop and she’ll transition them into the big coop. Love nature

[redbootshomestead]

Stacie.. you won't believe it yesterday evening she was all excited and wanted to get back out of the chicken coop with her babies so I let her out her rooster and her other sister wife was also outside.. she kept flying on the tree and I thought she wanted to get away from them but she taught them how to fly up on trees she was up there and calling them the whole time.. then she said on a 2×4 Scrap I had laying on a chicken coop and she went low with her butt and kept walking and I saw that she taught them how to sit on a roost.. so I ended up just carrying the rscrap wood around the corner in her chicken coop.. let them in and she ended up sitting on her Roost for the first time with the babies..

[theITGuy-nont]

Your chickens are well mannered. 🤗
I love when people take loving care of their flock and the chickens get so chill.

[wrstlngstud]

See that square wire where you're talking about the chicks getting out at the 4:00 mark? That's how you keep chick starter always available for the chicks and keep the big chickens away from it ;)

[GmaAlice]

That is some of the best information and advice I've seen shared here on You Tube. For the chicks going through the bigger openings in the fence, we put a strip of the small hole chicken wire along the bottom of the fence" You're so knowledgable in raising chickens and sharing your trials and error with everyone can help them with raising chickens. Your chickens all seemed sociable and respectful of mamma hen and her chicks. That treat time seemed like a great time was had by all the chickens. Kind of like a chicken social lol. Thank you for sharing all you share with everyone. I'm sure it's a big help. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

[fionar]

I have always raised chicks with their broody Mother hen amongst the main flock as well.

[THall-vicp]

I let my broody hens set on eggs in the coop with the rest of the flock. No problems.

During the day I keep them in a 16x12 run with the hen while the rest free range. They are all in the coop together at night. I do this for a couple reasons: We have many hawks in the area and we have lot of of neighborhood cats. After about four or five weeks I let them out with the rest of the birds.

I've had few losses to predators this way and the little ones learn their place in the flock early.

[mvstormyoneadventures]

we have let the brody hen/hens to sit and hatch their eggs with the other hens. So far it has worked fine. We do give them chick starter but we also let the big girls eat it too.

[SouthpawDavey]

Thats great info. Nice to see the chicks i have just hatched 16 quail. But I also have a broody quail sat on eggs 10 days in now a very rare occurrence fingers crossed.
All the best Dave

[tewasgardenkirkland]

My hen just had chicks(I just saw them this morning), thanks for this video.have to head to TSC!

[loriarnold]

So informative and real! Thanks so much!!

[shylocounts]

Hatched our first, 🐣 today
Thanks for your advice

[RobVonDee]

Great video very informative, I have my first chicken egg hatching right now, there silkies and the momma hen is sitting with her 3 sisters in the coop all sitting alongside her, would I need to remove mother and chicks away from the other hens or would they still be ok to live together?

[doodles]

Just had our very 1st chick hatch 2 weeks ago. Mum was sat on eggs in the main coop. The other eggs didn't hatch( bought from Ebay)
Moved her into a spare coop with baby. After the 1st week she bought baby into the garden( i nearly died of fright when i 1st spotted her) shes doing so well. Even my other hens are keeping an eye on her😊
Not 100% sure if she would have been safe doing so if they had been locked in a run together. All happy free ranging round the garden, helping themselves to my raspberries 😁

[GeorgiaGuyJackson]

This is super helpful, thank you! My broody just hatched 5 in the main hen house - the other 4 chickens in the flock were really hit & miss about using that hen house anyway (annoying!), so I just shut them out - I was so fed up of moving them every night as it just seems they wanted to sleep with the goats! I'm hoping that the new chicks will eventually just stay in the main hen house and realise that is their home, but their Mum the broody will I'm certain go back to roosting in the trees (she's always done that) The only downside to all this is that the current flock can't see the new chicks, and it's really tricky to create an area where they can, that then the goats can't get into (they mustn't eat the chicken food) - do you think it's likely there'll be much integration problem? The flock do have LOADS of space overall. Would appreciate your opinion/advice!

[Chickenmom]

Do you move the eggs and hen over to that hutch? If so how does she adjust to the distribution. Thank you

[Amelia_h_l]

wow! this was very helpful. Also i was the roosters pick on the young chicks and old should the chicks be to go and run around outside?

[acgray]

I was bringing broody mom in and fussing constantly over babies the first and second year. Some old timer asked me once in the middle of TSC if I thought all farmers 50 to 100 years ago brought mom's and baby chicks in the house? Or had time to fuss over broody hens and chicks? So last year I took a few Xtra Large totes and out my broody mom's in those with eggs/ chicks. This year I have five broody hens and these girls had nests on the ground and started taking babies out after the 3 Rd or 4th day! Other hens and roosters really n along side of 25 babies!!

[cherylangel]

My hen Mary had her first baby today. She's only a few days away from turning 7 months old, so she is a young mama! Your chickens look like they are all friends. Mine have cliques and they like to bully each other. Mary is closer to the bottom rank so I might end up separating them, but I will give her a few days to hatch everybody out.