I have six chicken- 5 red sexlinks and one banty hen. Recently, the banty started sitting on a nest and got really defensive and would howl at you if you opened the chicken hutch door to retrieve eggs. Now, today, there are 3 (more to come, maybe?) little chicks, all with very different markings (black stripes, all black and all yellow with tail spots). My questions are this: do I remove the chicks now or just let momma take charge? Do I need to put water up in the hutch, or will the chicks be able to acess the out of the hutch water (down a ramp and in a dog bowl). Will the roosters (one big homeless one I took in several years ago, and a small banty, both of which are very docile) bother the chicks at all? Thanks in advance!

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), April 28, 2002

Answers

I would watch the Banty and see if she is a good mom. The newly hatched chicks don't need to eat/drink for 2-3 days; they absorbed the egg's yolk into their stomach prior to hatching and that will nourish them. This is mother nature's way of dealing with the time delay between eggs hatching.

When Banty mom feels its is time she will take the chicks to feed. If she is currently in a nest box then this is the point where you WILL lose chicks. Young Chicks will follow their mom, but aren't real good about walking straight so they are likely to fall off your ladder. Rather than move the water up to them, you need to move them to the ground since they really can't deal with heights. Move them at night into a nest box ( a dog house is great). If you don't have a chick waterer, then you need to put some marbles or rocks in the dog bowl to keep the Chicks from drowning. They fall asleep easily and in/on anything. A chick waterer is designed to allow them to get water, but not drown and costs about $3. Otherwise add enough rocks or marbles so the chicks can't fall into the water.

Personaly I would isolate the banty & chicks from the other chickens. Roosters and hens have been known to kill chicks. One good peck is all it takes or even getting stepped on by the rooster is deadly. I have also heard about hens fighting over chicks and chicks getting hurt as a result.

-- Dash (forthechix@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002.

I've had lots of broody hens, and never had the rooster or other hens hurt the chicks. That said, chickens are sometimes unpredictable, and I'd watch them closely the first couple of days if you plan to leave them together. How high is your hutch? I've also had hens get their chicks down from high places without any trouble. But the chicks will definitely be needing water and feed. Above post is correct that they will not need it right away.

I'd definitely leave the hen alone until you are sure she is finished with her hatch. And, personally, I wouldn't dream of taking the chicks away from her after she spent the three weeks brooding.

You will want to think about how you will care for her and the chicks over the next several weeks. It'd be easiest to let her teach the chicks to go in and out of the hutch. If the hutch is not designed so that will be practical, you might look around for an alternative location for her.

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), April 29, 2002.

Kevin, I separate my breeders so when they do lay and sit they are already in their own pen. That said, it does no harm to take the chicks away if you feel you must. My mom did this regularly to get a second hatch from the hens. She left the second batch with "mom',if she cared for them properly. I do the same with my ducklings. I think it depends on just how valuable the little ones are and what your weather is like too. I remove my ducklings from mom( they are bantams and a bit delicate when tiny)as I can monitor them closer when they are inside. It sounds like your chicks are mixed breed, probably quite sturdy and you've had some good advice already. AS above, if mom is doing a good job let her raise them. I would put them in their own pen and keep an eye on them. Have fun, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), April 29, 2002.