Raising chicks naturally

While the mother hen has the lead role in the chicken-raising show, Jessamy Millers says there are steps owners can take to ensure chicks are robust and healthy.

Clear your yard of any possible hazards for chicks.
Photo: Jessamy Miller

Our chook expert, Jessamy Miller, has written all about raising chicks in your backyard naturally in our September/October 2021 issue but there’s a couple of things to think about before you start:

To hatch chicks naturally, fertile eggs and a broody hen are required. If you have a rooster in the flock, any eggs laid in spring and summer should be fertile and can be set to hatch. 

If you can’t keep a fella (difficult in urban areas), fertile eggs are readily available for purchase. Ask local breeders or try online, where options include Gumtree, breeders’ websites, poultry club pages and online noticeboards. Eggs can be packaged and posted across the country, but local birds have the advantage of being adapted to your conditions. Do your research, and when you have a suitable broody on hand, then purchase the eggs; a serious broody won’t go off the boil in a few days. 

Many breeds go broody periodically in the warmer months; Pekins and Silkies are notorious for this. Broody hens remain in the nest with feathers fluffed up, clucking, and growling when you come close. When this occurs, move the hen at night to a safe separate pen with some decoy eggs for her to sit on. Allow her a day to settle in, then remove the decoys and slip the fertile eggs under her the following night. Don’t count them yet, but chicks should hatch in 21 days. 

If none of the hens are broody when your eggs arrive, you may have to borrow an incubator.

Safety for your chicks is important

Compared to incubator chicks, those raised under a hen are often out and about in the yard at an early age, getting exercise and learning about the world. Take care to clear the area of possible hazards; if a bucket or bowl can tip upside down and trap a chick, it will! Luckily chicks are surprisingly robust, and it isn’t long before they are fluff free and laying eggs or, heaven forbid, crowing! 

To learn more about raising chicks naturally, you’ll find Jessamy’s full article in our September/October 2021 issue (OG 128) – purchase a copy today and have it delivered!

By: Jessamy Miller

First published: September 2021

Carts

Accessories

Flower Seeds

Composting

Choosing the right fruit trees for your climate
How to harvest herbs: How and when to harvest homegrown herbs
what weed is it? putting names to pesky plants
Georgia’s Farming and Gardening Sector: Top 10 Easiest Veggies to Grow [Infographic]
Create A Hygge Garden With Cozy Danish Design Ideas
Cozy Backyard Ideas For A Comfy Outdoor Space
Elmsdale Community Garden – 2022 Grant Recipient
Keep Plants Cozy With A Knit Or Crochet Plant Pot Cover
Eight of the best garden lanterns in 2023
Nine of the best plant labels in 2023
Eight of the best gardening clothes in 2023
Eight of the best indoor plant pots in 2023
10 Evergreen Herbs That Are Available All Year Long to Use
Why is my lavender turning brown?
How to Grow a Ginkgo Biloba (Maidenhair) Tree
What red flowers attract hummingbirds? (10 Favorites I Recommend)
Top 6 Struggles of Growing Herbs Indoors (w/ solutions)!!!??? // Garden Answer
Top 5 Beginner Tips For Apartment Gardeners Aja Dang Epic
How To Grow Tomatoes Indoors
How To Care For Indoor Plants + GREENIFY YOUR SPACE
How to Grow Vegetable Seedlings
Try it now | How to grow Bean Sprouts in the fastest and easiest
Try it now | How to grow Bean Sprouts in the fastest and easiest
Biggest & Thickest Buds on Cannabis using This Organic Hardener & Sugars
Biggest & Thickest Buds on Cannabis using This Organic Hardener & Sugars
MY SECRETS TO BIG MONEY PLANT (POTHOS) | MONEY PLANT CARE TIPS - COMPLETE GUIDE
MY SECRETS TO BIG MONEY PLANT (POTHOS) | MONEY PLANT CARE TIPS – COMPLETE GUIDE