When can I re-home a mama hen and her babies?

[CallingRosie]

Hi everyone,

New to the forum officially but have found infinite helpful advice and interesting information over the last year already so firstly, Thank you!

What I am wanting to know is this, We have currently got 4 hens and a cockerel ( all very fluffy footed bantams but not sure of exact breed) that have all been living mostly in harmony since I hatched them last year.

Recently, after a lot of trying to discourage it we allowed the broody hens to hatch a bunch of chicks. We now have too many really and my friend would like to re-home some and has a set up ready.

The chicks are all just about 3 weeks and are all thriving with their mums.

A few questions...
1. Is it ok to re-home a family to her now or should we wait for the chicks to be a bit older?
2. Should we be selective about which family we send? for example is it best to send the hen at the top of the pecking order who can be a little aggy with the others or one of the lower in the pecking order or does that not matter?
3. should we wait to see what gender the chicks are incase there is more cockerels than is practical for her small set up?

Thanks in advance Backyard Chicken family!
Much love and clucks from Somerset England

 

[Peaches Lee]

They're good to go now. I have rehomed a serial broody hen with chicks because she would go into impossible places (like my hay loft) and hatch out chicks!

What does "aggy" mean?

I would send whatever family you wish, I don't think that will matter!

Good luck to you and I hope you continue to enjoy BYC!

 

[RooRuhRooRuhROOOO]

Hi I got two hens with their babes back in December ...I think they were about 2 weeks old approx at the time. They have all grown up very well (2 turned out to be Roos..the rest..(4) are hens). We tried adding another chicken about 2 months later from the same flock with only one baby....but the early chicken mommas who had been lower down the totem pole when I got them said clearly NO WAY...so I took the singleton and her chick back to my friend. I think 2 or 3 weeks old is perfect BTW...one of the roos...is my profile pic ..his name is, aptly,ROO ROO lol he comes when he is called and brings most of the flock with him! Good luck!