How does a hen feed her chicks?

1. Crop Milk:

* For the first few days after hatching, hens produce a special substance called crop milk.

* This is a milky, nutrient-rich fluid that is produced in the hen's crop (a pouch in their throat).

* The chicks peck at their mother's beak and she regurgitates the crop milk for them to eat.

2. Picking at the Ground:

* Once the chicks are a few days old, the hen will start to scratch and peck at the ground, finding insects, seeds, and other food.

* She'll call her chicks over and encourage them to eat what she finds.

3. Leading them to Food:

* As the chicks get older, the hen will lead them to different places where she knows they can find food.

* She'll often guide them to areas with more insects, fresh grass, or good patches of seeds.

4. Teaching them to Forage:

* The hen will also teach her chicks how to forage for food on their own.

* She'll demonstrate by scratching and pecking at the ground, and the chicks will copy her behaviour.

5. Protecting them:

* Throughout this process, the hen will be very protective of her chicks. She'll keep them close and warn them of danger, using a variety of calls and behaviours.

Overall, a hen's role in feeding her chicks is multifaceted, encompassing both providing food and teaching them how to find and eat it.