Letting Mom & chicks out

[flock-mama]

Does this sound like a good way to introduce? I just want everyone SAFE!

Ok I have been letting Mama hen and 3 week old, 8 chicks out into the main coop, 15 to 20 mins at a time, just to see how everyone will act. A few other hens got too close and mama put them out the door. I saw her (mama) pull another hen out of a nesting box and put her out the door. Yesterday I think she was more comfortable with the others getting in the coop to go to bed while her chicks were wondering around. Mama acts like she wants to take them free ranging, but I am not ready for her to do that just yet.
So We will do this for the next 2 weeks, then I hope I can leave mama and chicks out with the others full time. I need to move next bunch of 20 chicks out to nursery soon. DH is letting me know I have had them in the house over the 1 week I promised! lol.

 

[Chirpy]

Sounds like momma is doing a great job and you shouldn't have any problems. The way you've done it seems to be working just fine. I'm sure you can leave them out all the time during the day now.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I agree . I think they are old enough and the mother will protect them .


I leave mine outside in the protected RUN AREA all day long , and they go into the COOP ( Hen House ) only at night to sleep .

 

[flock-mama]

I too think she is a good mama, but she is kicking other hens out of coop so they can't lay eggs. That can't be good. I wanted to try and get 20 chicks in with mama and her chicks. Think that would work? I just need them out of the house. Do you think 28 chicks is too much for mama?

 

[cajunlizz]

Like I mentioned before , my chicks and chickens are ONLY in the coop ( henhouse ) late afternoon when its their roosting time and sleeping time . Its so cute to watch them when it starts getting late evenings . they ALL start looking up , ( I guess to see how dark its getting ) . they start going one by one into the coop area from their ladder and up thru the little door . They follow the leader . I never actually close the coop at all . MAIN DOOR is always closed , but their little door is exit and entrance for them . 1st. sign of day light in the mornings , you can watch them beginnign to exit from the coop .


Hubby built them their own little entrance door for the hens to enter to lay into the coop and then they come back out .


Our run area has a padlock on it and a latch on the inside , which I have to reach over to unlock . totally predator proof ....

Our run is 12 x 30 and they run , play , eat and drink all day long .

I do not put food inside the coop area . I might have to change that when winter sets in , BUT for now , they eat and drink only outside in the run area .

 

[Chirpy]

cajonlizz wrote:

Our run area has a padlock on it and a latch on the inside , which I have to reach over to unlock . totally predator proof ....

This sounds like there is no top on it? If you can reach over it almost any predator could easily get over it to get inside to your chickens. Just something to think about ....​

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
This sounds like there is no top on it? If you can reach over it almost any predator could easily get over it to get inside to your chickens. Just something to think about ....

Hubby will be putting 1 inch welded wire thru out the whole run area .

ITS about 8 ft. tall , BUT I do have to have a step ladder to do the reaching right now .


ITS been raining BUCKETS everyday , so thats his next project . the overhead wiring ...

 

[flock-mama]

Well Mama seems to be a bit rough on all the others, but I guess she is setting boundries. Today I let her and chicks out into main coop, around 3pm, everyone had laid eggs. Anyway there is a ramp out the door into a fenced area, she led the chicks down and was very protective of her area. They ran in and out from under the trailer. They loved it. One of my checking in on them she was fighting with my BO hen, she must have gotten way too close. I had to break them up. As far as the other 11 hens and 3 roos no one els seem to mind the chicks. So I tried to convince her it was time to take the babies back inside. She had other ideas! I didn't want them to think they are living outside now under the trailer coop. After some bread and convincing her thats what I wanted, they all are back in the nursery now.