Heat lamp vs. broody hen?

[Esrun]

I have a broody hen, her name is Pickles (she is ALWAYS broody ). We are scheduled for baby chicks 5/15. Is it even a reasonable thought to bring her inside to mama the babies if she’s still broody? They’ll be mailed to us. I can’t put them outside w her bc I don’t think our top hen will be accepting. I also wonder if bringing Pickles inside would cause our other Silkie to be lonely (we only have 3 hens; 2 Silkie buddies and our loner Sebright). I have a regular brooder set up but wondered if this would be better.

 

[Debbie292d]

I would try do it more naturally, in the coop. If the broody hen accepts the chicks, she'll protect them from the others. You would need to move the nest to like an open box on its side on the ground though and have a feeder with starter feed in it or change the adult feeder to starter feed. Also a waterer with marbles or rocks in it so they don't drown. Take out any waterer they could step in as they can drown easy, especially their first week. You could put it back after they are nearing two weeks old.

If you change the adult feeder to starter feed, the adults can eat it, but you'd have to set out a bowl of oyster shell for calcium as starter feed doesn't have what hens need.

 

[Esrun]

Do you mean a nest where she and the chicks can sleep? If so, would I have to block off the coop? I imagine she’ll go into it at night otherwise.

 

[Ryguy3684]

Do you mean a nest where she and the chicks can sleep? If so, would I have to block off the coop? I imagine she’ll go into it at night otherwise.

If she accepts the chicks, she'll sleep in the nest with the chicks. Has she been roosting at night? If so, she's not truly broody. How long has she been sitting? The timing of the chicks arrival should be close to her sitting for three weeks or she might not except the chicks. It's best to sneak them under her at night, if you go that route. I've accidently broken broody hens by moving them, so I wouldn't recommend moving her indoors. Once she's accepted the chicks, you can move them all to a quiet area of the coop, if you'd like, just so they have a little more privacy. There's nothing better than a broody mama to raise chicks.
I have done both brooder and broody. If you want to bond more with your chicks, it's best to raise them yourself. They'll imprint on you instead of the hen. If you want to be more hands off, by all means, let the broody raise them. It's adorable. Just remember no layer feed that the chicks can reach. Keep us posted.

 

[Esrun]

If she accepts the chicks, she'll sleep in the nest with the chicks. Has she been roosting at night? If so, she's not truly broody. How long has she been sitting? The timing of the chicks arrival should be close to her sitting for three weeks or she might not except the chicks. It's best to sneak them under her at night, if you go that route. I've accidently broken broody hens by moving them, so I wouldn't recommend moving her indoors. Once she's accepted the chicks, you can move them all to a quiet area of the coop, if you'd like, just so they have a little more privacy. There's nothing better than a broody mama to raise chicks.
I have done both brooder and broody. If you want to bond more with your chicks, it's best to raise them yourself. They'll imprint on you instead of the hen. If you want to be more hands off, by all means, let the broody raise them. It's adorable. Just remember no layer feed that the chicks can reach. Keep us posted.

She does not roost. She is nesting inside the coop on the floor. She’s a Silkie. I *do* want them to be very friendly and well handled so I’m leaning towards doing it myself but had hoped maybe I could bring her inside. I just don’t want to leave my other two without her.

 

[Ryguy3684]

She does not roost. She is nesting inside the coop on the floor. She’s a Silkie. I *do* want them to be very friendly and well handled so I’m leaning towards doing it myself but had hoped maybe I could bring her inside. I just don’t want to leave my other two without her.

Yeah, moving her inside for a few weeks
might cause an issue when it comes time to reintegrate. I hadn't thought about that.