10 new babies emerged from the woods!

[shakin_the_trees]

Help!!!
I have only raised chicks once before and they were store bought, so not the same experience!! Mom thats been missing for the last few weeks just emerged from hiding with her crew of 10! I have so many questsions:
1. I have left over medicated starter feed. Can I give them this? and can mom eat it too?
2. I was able to corral them all into our chicken crate for the time being until I figure out what I want to do. Should I put the crate in the chicken coop with the others, or should I keep it in the garage?
3. Im too nervous to let them out inside the coop with the others. There are 9 other hens and 1 roo. Do I let mom and babies roam around? Or should I keep them in the crate at all times. Do I need heat lamp? and how long should I keep mom locked up with chicks?

All help apprciated. Wish me luck on this journey with babies from a psycho moddled houdan roo, and a cream brabanter mother !!

 

[I Like Turkeys]

1. The mother can eat medicated chick feed as far as i’m aware, chick feed is not bad for hens and layer feed isn’t good for chicks.

2. If the cage is properly secured so chicks can’t escape, it can be in the chicken coop. This will adjust the others to their prescience and hopefully make reintegration easier on the babies and mother.

3. I would give it at least until they’re feathered out completely to let them roam with the other adults, unless your birds are especially nice. Just so that mother and babies can get all the feed they need, and because the others may, depending on their attitudes, terrorize the mother or attempt to kill the babies.

 

[Shadrach]

Yes you can feed medicated feed to mum and chicks.
I understand that the mother belonged to the group before she layed, sat and hatched?
Given this is the case then if there is room to put the crate in the coop then I would do that but leave the crate open for mum and chicks to use if they want.
I would let mum take the chicks wherever she wants.
You don't need a heat lamp or any other form of heat while mum is looking after them. Mum should keep them warm until they have feathered.
Don't keep mum locked up at all. She and the chicks have to learn to live with the rest. Mums sit and hatch in coops where others roost and lay eggs all the time.

 

[I Like Turkeys]

1. The mother can eat medicated chick feed as far as i’m aware, chick feed is not bad for hens and layer feed isn’t good for chicks.

2. If the cage is properly secured so chicks can’t escape, it can be in the chicken coop. This will adjust the others to their prescience and hopefully make reintegration easier on the babies and mother.

3. I would give it at least until they’re feathered out completely to let them roam with the other adults, unless your birds are especially nice. Just so that mother and babies can get all the feed they need, and because the others may, depending on their attitudes, terrorize the mother or attempt to kill the babies.

Scratch 2., depending on weather in your area, it may be safer for the chicks to stay inside. If so, they’ll still need an integration period of being caged next to the adults once they’re old enough to stay outside in the cold.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Im too nervous to let them out inside the coop with the others. There are 9 other hens and 1 roo. Do I let mom and babies roam around?

I'm gonna second everything in post #3.

She brought them back to the flock because she was ready.. separating her may cause integration problems later when she is no longer protecting them with her broody hormones raging.

Glad your hen returned whole and with lil monsters in tow!

 

[shakin_the_trees]

Yes you can feed medicated feed to mum and chicks.
I understand that the mother belonged to the group before she layed, sat and hatched?
Given this is the case then if there is room to put the crate in the coop then I would do that but leave the crate open for mum and chicks to use if they want.
I would let mum take the chicks wherever she wants.
You don't need a heat lamp or any other form of heat while mum is looking after them. Mum should keep them warm until they have feathered.
Don't keep mum locked up at all. She and the chicks have to learn to live with the rest. Mums sit and hatch in coops where others roost and lay eggs all the time.

The only thing I was worried about was the fact that shes been in the woods for 3 weeks and not with the rest of the flock. So I didnt want to take chances and put them all in the coop with the others right away.

 

[shakin_the_trees]

Scratch 2., depending on weather in your area, it may be safer for the chicks to stay inside. If so, they’ll still need an integration period of being caged next to the adults once they’re old enough to stay outside in the cold.

Do you think having them in the garage for a week. I have a secondary "old coop" in our run as well, that has separate fencing. I think I may keep them in the garage for the week, and then have time to clean out the other coop and then integrate them all that way. Then they all get used to eachother, awhile having their own space to be safe together.

 

[WIchickMama]

I'm gonna second everything in post #3.

She brought them back to the flock because she was ready.. separating her may cause integration problems later when she is no longer protecting them with her broody hormones raging.

Glad your hen returned whole and with lil monsters in tow!

Yep, I agree.

This chickens know what they are doing. Not to sound harsh or anything similar but deaths can happen it is a part of raising farm animals. She survived 3 weeks, she's got this

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. I have left over medicated starter feed. Can I give them this? and can mom eat it too?

What is the medicine in the medicated feed? If it is Amprolium that's one thing and should be fine. If it is an antibiotic that's something else.

How old is that feed? It may have lost most of its nutritional value.

2. I was able to corral them all into our chicken crate for the time being until I figure out what I want to do. Should I put the crate in the chicken coop with the others, or should I keep it in the garage?

I'd like to have a clue what that coop looks like so I could look for possible issues. I'm thinking mostly about ramps or what the pop door looks like. Are there access issues? With them free ranging and that many chickens I'd assume it is a decent sized walk-in coop, especially if you have room to put that crate in there. I'll also assume you want to be able to lock them up at night for predator protection. Not everybody does.

Unless there is some strong reason not to, I'd put them inside the coop for two or three nights and three or four days. If you do that before you let them out the broody should return there at night for them to sleep. Or she will at least want to unless the chicks have access issues.

3. Im too nervous to let them out inside the coop with the others. There are 9 other hens and 1 roo. Do I let mom and babies roam around? Or should I keep them in the crate at all times.

My dominant roosters are much more likely to either ignore the chicks or actually help Mama take care of them than hurt them. I've never had a dominant mature rooster threaten or harm chicks. I consider having a mature rooster with them a good thing.

Usually the hens leave the chicks alone, though they may have a little curiosity at the very beginning. Sort of like coming over to say hello. Every now and then one will be too curious and Mama whips butt. I've never had a broody hen fail to protect her chicks from another hen when they needed it. Other people have, when you deal with living animals you can never be sure what they will actually do. While you never know for sure what will happen it's something I've never worried about.

Do I need heat lamp?

No! Mama will provide all the heat they need. Providing extra heat is more likely to mess things up than help.

and how long should I keep mom locked up with chicks?

Long enough to get Mama to take them back there at night. Then do not use locks except at night against predators.