Need broody advice: So our first ever broody's babies are now a full month old. She and the babies have been living in a broody pen, which is a fenced off area below the raised coop, in sharing one fenced wall with, and in full view of the main run. Over the last 2 weeks, we've allowed them out to free range on occasion, and for the last few days, out to free range with all the other chickens. There have been no issues, except that she's very protective of them. Until tonight.
Tonight, after locking her and the babies back up in the broody pen, she started making a ruckus. She wouldn't calm down. The decision was made to let her out, and see what happens. She ran out, and immediately run into the main coop, jumped up on the roost, and abandoned her babies. We even put a baby in the big coop to see what would happen and she remained up there. So, we took her back down and put her with the babies in the broody pen. But obviously after 7 weeks, she is done. She has begun laying as well.
So...now a couple decisions have to be made. Against her wishes, we can leave her locked up in the broody pen each night with the babies for a while longer. Or, we can put both her and the babies in the big coop, integrating them with the rest of the flock, and hopefully continuing the hen/chick relationship somehow. Or, we can put her back with the flock, and add the babies to other chicks of close to the same age, in the grow pen, effectively ending any bond mama might have with her babies.
I know there could be issues with adding the babies to the flock, due to obvious reasons. I just don't know what would be best.
Tonight, after locking her and the babies back up in the broody pen, she started making a ruckus. She wouldn't calm down. The decision was made to let her out, and see what happens. She ran out, and immediately run into the main coop, jumped up on the roost, and abandoned her babies. We even put a baby in the big coop to see what would happen and she remained up there. So, we took her back down and put her with the babies in the broody pen. But obviously after 7 weeks, she is done. She has begun laying as well.
So...now a couple decisions have to be made. Against her wishes, we can leave her locked up in the broody pen each night with the babies for a while longer. Or, we can put both her and the babies in the big coop, integrating them with the rest of the flock, and hopefully continuing the hen/chick relationship somehow. Or, we can put her back with the flock, and add the babies to other chicks of close to the same age, in the grow pen, effectively ending any bond mama might have with her babies.
I know there could be issues with adding the babies to the flock, due to obvious reasons. I just don't know what would be best.
