Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[gonehencrazy]

Evening all!
We added to our flock in the last week. We got two from a friend who didn't want to winterize her coop for the two girls. The next day I had two jumbo eggs in my coop that were different from mine, so we know they laid right away.
Then husband and I went to the Belleville Animal Auction and bought 5 hens. I was skeptical because there is no way to tell their age, but they were only $2 each. I vent checked them when they arrived at our house and am hopeful because they all had large wet vents. Not long after getting home, one laid the biggest egg I have ever seen. I weighed it... 3.3oz!
In the 5 days since we got our last ones, I have gotten anywhere from 6-10 eggs a day from 15 layers. I am hoping to have that fill out to about a dozen a day. Some appear to be molting and I know that due to protein needs, they often don't lay during molt.
Last, but not least is that I bought a mama hen and 5 baby chicks in a box all together. They looked to be a few days to a week old. We built them a little secure pen in the coop and We are feeding and watering them, but letting mama do all the heavy lifting. I imagine that they will all be together in "the annex" until at least Thanksgiving. We have never had a broody mama before so the mama raising chicks thing is new to us.
CAN ANYONE TELL ME:
How big do the chicks need to be (with a mother protecting them) to be exposed at all to the rest of the chickens?
Should the Mama stay with them until they are big enough to co-mingle, or will she loose the desire to stay with them when they get to a certain point in development?
At what point will she probably start to lay again?

Hope all is well with you all and that you and your flock are enjoying the nice weather!

My broody dumped her chicks at 4 weeks. She had statered to lay maybe the week before flying the coop...literally.

I want more birds bad!! They are so addicting. Anxiously awaiting my pullets that hatched to start laying. I wish I had some good older layers like it seems u bought. They seem to lay bigger eggs.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Evening all!
We added to our flock in the last week. We got two from a friend who didn't want to winterize her coop for the two girls. The next day I had two jumbo eggs in my coop that were different from mine, so we know they laid right away.
Then husband and I went to the Belleville Animal Auction and bought 5 hens. I was skeptical because there is no way to tell their age, but they were only $2 each. I vent checked them when they arrived at our house and am hopeful because they all had large wet vents. Not long after getting home, one laid the biggest egg I have ever seen. I weighed it... 3.3oz!
In the 5 days since we got our last ones, I have gotten anywhere from 6-10 eggs a day from 15 layers. I am hoping to have that fill out to about a dozen a day. Some appear to be molting and I know that due to protein needs, they often don't lay during molt.
Last, but not least is that I bought a mama hen and 5 baby chicks in a box all together. They looked to be a few days to a week old. We built them a little secure pen in the coop and We are feeding and watering them, but letting mama do all the heavy lifting. I imagine that they will all be together in "the annex" until at least Thanksgiving. We have never had a broody mama before so the mama raising chicks thing is new to us.
CAN ANYONE TELL ME:
How big do the chicks need to be (with a mother protecting them) to be exposed at all to the rest of the chickens?
Should the Mama stay with them until they are big enough to co-mingle, or will she loose the desire to stay with them when they get to a certain point in development?
At what point will she probably start to lay again?

Hope all is well with you all and that you and your flock are enjoying the nice weather!

I let my broodies raise their babies right in with the flock. It can be a risk but at the same time, the babies are integrated right from the start.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Evening all!
We added to our flock in the last week. We got two from a friend who didn't want to winterize her coop for the two girls. The next day I had two jumbo eggs in my coop that were different from mine, so we know they laid right away.
Then husband and I went to the Belleville Animal Auction and bought 5 hens. I was skeptical because there is no way to tell their age, but they were only $2 each. I vent checked them when they arrived at our house and am hopeful because they all had large wet vents. Not long after getting home, one laid the biggest egg I have ever seen. I weighed it... 3.3oz!
In the 5 days since we got our last ones, I have gotten anywhere from 6-10 eggs a day from 15 layers. I am hoping to have that fill out to about a dozen a day. Some appear to be molting and I know that due to protein needs, they often don't lay during molt.
Last, but not least is that I bought a mama hen and 5 baby chicks in a box all together. They looked to be a few days to a week old. We built them a little secure pen in the coop and We are feeding and watering them, but letting mama do all the heavy lifting. I imagine that they will all be together in "the annex" until at least Thanksgiving. We have never had a broody mama before so the mama raising chicks thing is new to us.
CAN ANYONE TELL ME:
How big do the chicks need to be (with a mother protecting them) to be exposed at all to the rest of the chickens?
Should the Mama stay with them until they are big enough to co-mingle, or will she loose the desire to stay with them when they get to a certain point in development?
At what point will she probably start to lay again?

Hope all is well with you all and that you and your flock are enjoying the nice weather!

I get my broodies back in with the flock as soon as possible, even the first few days. i keep an eye out to make sure momma can handle protection, but I've found the longer I wait, the worse it gets. Most of the time, i let them go thru the sitting and hatching right with the others, unless the other hens are a nuisance trying to lay in the same nest, then i block momma off, or move them, until a day or so after hatch. JMHO.

I let my broodies raise their babies right in with the flock. It can be a risk but at the same time, the babies are integrated right from the start.

I also keep my broodies and babies raised right with the rest of the flock. So far, I have not had problems, but it does carry some risk. I always to try observe the first few days to make sure every thing is peaceful.

 

[fisherlady]

Evening all!
We added to our flock in the last week. We got two from a friend who didn't want to winterize her coop for the two girls. The next day I had two jumbo eggs in my coop that were different from mine, so we know they laid right away.
Then husband and I went to the Belleville Animal Auction and bought 5 hens. I was skeptical because there is no way to tell their age, but they were only $2 each. I vent checked them when they arrived at our house and am hopeful because they all had large wet vents. Not long after getting home, one laid the biggest egg I have ever seen. I weighed it... 3.3oz!
In the 5 days since we got our last ones, I have gotten anywhere from 6-10 eggs a day from 15 layers. I am hoping to have that fill out to about a dozen a day. Some appear to be molting and I know that due to protein needs, they often don't lay during molt.
Last, but not least is that I bought a mama hen and 5 baby chicks in a box all together. They looked to be a few days to a week old. We built them a little secure pen in the coop and We are feeding and watering them, but letting mama do all the heavy lifting. I imagine that they will all be together in "the annex" until at least Thanksgiving. We have never had a broody mama before so the mama raising chicks thing is new to us.
CAN ANYONE TELL ME:
How big do the chicks need to be (with a mother protecting them) to be exposed at all to the rest of the chickens?
Should the Mama stay with them until they are big enough to co-mingle, or will she loose the desire to stay with them when they get to a certain point in development?
At what point will she probably start to lay again?

Hope all is well with you all and that you and your flock are enjoying the nice weather!

Congrats on the buys...
As far as the broody, as many others here we let the mama raise with the flock, however your situation will require much more care. Your new broody is new to the flock also, so just letting them mingle will be a recipe for tragedy. She will fight with any other birds who come near and may be ganged up on by the original flock. I am not just saying it won't work, it will just need a lot of monitoring and caution.
I would suggest making a 'safe pen' in the yard where the flock hangs out, it can be a 10x10 dog kennel or as simple as a circle of 4ft high chicken wire. Just make sure the fencing used is small enough that the chicks can't get through it. Then put mama and chicks out in it each day so the other flock can see them. It would be even easier on you if you were able to make this part of their broody hut so you didn't need to move them each day.
After a couple of days I would let 2 or 3 of your original flock out of the coop but keep the rest penned up, then let broody and her chicks out and watch to see how they interact. There may be a bit of squabbling, but that is normal and they should be allowed to hash it out with minimal interference (just make sure chicks are at a safe distance). Once those hens seem comfortable you can add more of the original flock, but play it by ear and make sure the broody and chicks always have a safe spot to return to.
Good luck and enjoy the broody!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Here are the two Mamas doing a great job. The silkie seems to baby them more. The Black sex link perched last night and had some company.

Look at this poor Bielefelder hen. She is having such a rough molt. I wonder if she will have any feathers left by this weekend, haha.

You guys are in trouble, now that I figured out how to upload photos from my phone. Does anyone else have 80% of their phone photos of their pets?

 

[fisherlady]

Here are the two Mamas doing a great job. The silkie seems to baby them more. The Black sex link perched last night and had some company.



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Look at this poor Bielefelder hen. She is having such a rough molt. I wonder if she will have any feathers left by this weekend, haha.

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You guys are in trouble, now that I figured out how to upload photos from my phone. Does anyone else have 80% of their phone photos of their pets?

that would be me.... though I have to admit another 18% are boating/ fishing shots, lol.
I do have 3 of my mother....but she is surrounded by our dogs, lol, and a few of DH, but he is holding fish in each one.... uh-Oh

 

[fisherlady]

Speaking of fishing.... we took 2 vet's out with us both Saturday and Sunday...Saturday was 2 Vietnam vet's, Sunday was a Vietnam vet and his son, who served multiple tours in the Middle East. We limited both days and had an awesome time with them.
I didn't have time to snap pictures but they sent me a few they took.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Here are the two Mamas doing a great job. The silkie seems to baby them more. The Black sex link perched last night and had some company.



View attachment 1139997

View attachment 1139998


Look at this poor Bielefelder hen. She is having such a rough molt. I wonder if she will have any feathers left by this weekend, haha.

View attachment 1139999




View attachment 1140000

You guys are in trouble, now that I figured out how to upload photos from my phone. Does anyone else have 80% of their phone photos of their pets?

Yup. I don't have anything more than a tracfone now but my tablet has 90% chicken pictures lol. If it weren't for the pictures on our Oregon trip, the camera memory card would be almost all chickens too lol

 

[chickachickayea]

Here are the new Ayam Cemani chicks. They look pretty good, just so tiny. I am only keeping 2 for myself. Some have white toenails, but they guy told me they would eventually grow black. Any truth in that? Doesn't matter so much for me, a they are just a novelty.

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I am thinking my hunch was right, this is a Tom. Any thoughts?

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Gorgeous!

The ayam Cemanis are cute! They seem to grow slow and don't get all that big, kinda like legbars.

How old is the turkey again? I don't see anything that screams tom yet. Just looks like my Eve right now lol

View attachment 1139145

Another gorgeous turkey!

Here are the two Mamas doing a great job. The silkie seems to baby them more. The Black sex link perched last night and had some company.



View attachment 1139997

View attachment 1139998


Look at this poor Bielefelder hen. She is having such a rough molt. I wonder if she will have any feathers left by this weekend, haha.

View attachment 1139999




View attachment 1140000

You guys are in trouble, now that I figured out how to upload photos from my phone. Does anyone else have 80% of their phone photos of their pets?

Oh my gosh how cute! And that poor girl's molt! :O
I have a "Chicken" folder on my phone - it currently has 792 photos...

 

[Werforpsu]

Congrats on the buys...
As far as the broody, as many others here we let the mama raise with the flock, however your situation will require much more care. Your new broody is new to the flock also, so just letting them mingle will be a recipe for tragedy. She will fight with any other birds who come near and may be ganged up on by the original flock. I am not just saying it won't work, it will just need a lot of monitoring and caution.
I would suggest making a 'safe pen' in the yard where the flock hangs out, it can be a 10x10 dog kennel or as simple as a circle of 4ft high chicken wire. Just make sure the fencing used is small enough that the chicks can't get through it. Then put mama and chicks out in it each day so the other flock can see them. It would be even easier on you if you were able to make this part of their broody hut so you didn't need to move them each day.
After a couple of days I would let 2 or 3 of your original flock out of the coop but keep the rest penned up, then let broody and her chicks out and watch to see how they interact. There may be a bit of squabbling, but that is normal and they should be allowed to hash it out with minimal interference (just make sure chicks are at a safe distance). Once those hens seem comfortable you can add more of the original flock, but play it by ear and make sure the broody and chicks always have a safe spot to return to.
Good luck and enjoy the broody!

The fact that the mama is brand new is certainly part of the problem. She is also smaller then our black sex links (maybe a little bantam in her) and they are fairly territorial and feisty. The BSL hens actually ganged up on and almost killed one of our OB pullets this summer.)
They can all see each other. Their pen is in the main coop with hardware cloth between them (so chicks can't get through). I do feel bad that the mama and chicks can't go outside at all since ours free range.
I might eventually fashion a small opening in the chicks pen so that they can go in and out but the others can't follow. Obviously this will be after they start to get feathers.