Mom is done raising her 6ish week olds :) Now what?

[rojororeo]

Hello all!
My first time posting to the baby chick area.
So as my title says, my momma hen has deemed her brood of 3 to be old enough to not need her. She went to bed in the main coop last night and the babies finally figured out momma was done and went into their tarped dog crate coop and slept in the nest box alone, sniff sniff. ;P
They survived the night, without heat or anything, in roughly 30-40 degree temps, so I assume they are quite hardy.

These chicks were raised within sight of the whole flock, and at 3ish weeks of age escaped the brooder pen, so I gave up on separating them and let them all be together. It was momma and her 3 babies, and the 13 other hens and rooster. All has gone great.
They are also having no problems this morning when everyone was let out together.

My question though. I would like to remove the dog crate, as it is sort of an eye sore out there.

Can I just do the night time grab and stuff them into the adult coop and shut the door? I am hoping there won't be any major scuffling, the babies to my knowledge have never explored the adult coop. I could also bring their nest box over, as they seem to like to sleep in it still.

Thanks all, and hopefully that was enough background info, but not too much. lol

 

[chooks4life]

Chances are it'll be fine, if you've never noted any violence towards them they should assimilate peacefully into the main flock.

Best wishes.

 

[rojororeo]

Great, thanks Chooks!
Nope, there has been no violence at all, knock on wood. The occasional peck and chase, but that is it.

Thanks.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Can I just do the night time grab and stuff them into the adult coop and shut the door?

After dark I would just pick the young chicks up and place them on a roost in the main coop----just like the big chickens. You might have to do this 2 or 3 nights. I would also make a little area where the chicks can escape, get some chick food away from the grown chickens, A place where the grown chickens can not get to their feed. I use a piece of 2"x4" mesh wire, make a big circle or lean it on a wall/fence. The chicks can go right through this mesh but not the adults. If you free range any, a hawk will scoop these chicks right up. If you do not free range, then thats more of a reason to fix them a place they can get into to get some good grower/finisher feed.

 

[rojororeo]

After dark I would just pick the young chicks up and place them on a roost in the main coop----just like the big chickens. You might have to do this 2 or 3 nights. I would also make a little area where the chicks can escape, get some chick food away from the grown chickens, A place where the grown chickens can not get to their feed. I use a piece of 2"x4" mesh wire, make a big circle or lean it on a wall/fence. The chicks can go right through this mesh but not the adults. If you free range any, a hawk will scoop these chicks right up. If you do not free range, then thats more of a reason to fix them a place they can get into to get some good grower/finisher feed.

Thanks.
Yeah that is roughly what I was figuring to do. I was going to give them their little nest box in the main coop, just in case they wanted to sleep in there.
Yeah, I have been feeding them the chick starter, which of course the adults steal, because it must taste like candy. I think I will try to separate a little area for them, since right now they have their dish up on top of the dog crate. Evidently the adults are too lazy to look up there. I think I even have some of that mesh on hand.
Eventually we plan to make a brooder and grow out coop, and I plan to incorporate a little baby doorway into it to protect their food from the adults.

Thanks!