3 day old ameraucana x cc legbars when to integrate

[Azmomm]

I live just south of Tucson AZ and temps are still moderate. Lows in the high 40s to mid 50s. I had a young blue Ameraucana go broody but she wasnt on any eggs. So after about a week I placed some eggs from the ccl hen under her and yep they hatched. I had originally placed an additional 2 eggs under her but they did not hatch and I found she kicked them out this morning. I believe my previois rooster, a blue Ameraucana, was the fathee since they look nothing like my appenzeller. So far i have hen and chicks confined to a 3 x 4 box inside the coop. A look but dont touch setup. My question is when should i open it up so they can mingle. Broody hen is probably the lowwst ranking and got picked on every time she left the nest to eat. There are 3 othee hens and a rooster. The enclosed coop is 4 x 6 by 9 ft tall going directly into a covered 8 x 6 covered run with access to a 16 by 8 run surrounded by hc and partially covered. Thank you. This is my first broody and ive only had them all since march. I built the coop myself

 

[Skippersnh]

nice coop

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I built the coop myself

Wow!

I know all set ups are different as well as the flocks. So it may be a trial and error situation.

My hens raise their broods with the flock... to me sooner is better than later... once the chicks know their mums voice and vice versa and are able to keep up with her... usually by your current stage. Early on I do block the other birds out also to make sure the chicks don't accidentally fall out and not find their way back into my boxes.

By this time she should be clucking quite well to them and her protective broody hormones should be primed for some tail kicking! Even the lowest and most bantam of my flock would wait and get sneak attacks on innocent passers by... just so they know not to mess around with her and babes. *Most* "roosters" will not mess much with chicks and may eventually bond some and call them to treats even. They will call the other ladies to eat the "chick" feed or anything else you try to offer specially. Pullets and cockerels can often be the biggest pain to a broody hen... as they usually have something to prove. Since your broody is already lowest int he pecking order, that may not be the case for you. Also I'm unsure of your flock age.. but if the "rooster" participates in pecking on a hen he would be headed for the soup pot in a heart beat. I am fortunate enough (now) that all my cockerels get to grow out in a stag pen to gain some manners before accessing the ladies. It really helps give them a chance to mature past those raging idiot teenage hormones, that every species seems to go through!

Adding extra feeders and some visual barriers (plants, chairs on their side, hay bale, whatever ya got that fits and is safe) to disrupt line of sight can be very helpful. Also that you've already used look but don't touch will have gotten other flock members more used to the sights and sounds of the chicks and take away some of the curiosity. Here, some curiosity is okay and not the same as relentless chasing and pecking. The chicks usually learn quickly which flock members to avoid.

I like to allow the first integration to be somewhat supervised so I can identify any problems (bully's) before going full time.

I also prefer a flock raiser or chick starter crumbles (instead of layer) for my whole flock and supply a side dish of free choice oyster shell for active layers. This makes it easy to feed them all together and not worry someone will have too little of some or too much of other nutrients.

If you aren't comfortable yet... try and get them together way before 6 ish weeks... as broody hormones are often waning and it can be harder to integrate the little's.

Congrats on your babies!

 

[Peppercorngal]

I let my broody hen decide when she wants to take her new chicks out. She decides when to leave the coop and decides when to leave the run. My Maggie hatched only one chick a week ago and has been out of the coop and run, mingling for 4 days now. She is protective and her baby know how to run! I have one young rooster that wants to peck the baby, but she runs away and Maggie gets in the way, so he gives up and goes away. it's never too soon to integrate!

 

[Azmomm]

Phew! Thanks for easing my mind on this. Will do some supervised mingling this weekend

 

[Peppercorngal]

Phew! Thanks for easing my mind on this. Will do some supervised mingling this weekend

Yeah, let them mingle and they will most likely be just fine! Post how it goes please.

 

[Azmomm]

This afternoon somehow the door to their small coop popped open. By the time i saw this, as it is inside of main coop, the flock was out just grazing as far away from coop as they could be. A few of the broodys feathers were outside the door and i feared the worst. However when i looked in the chicks were behind her pecking at some crumble on the floor and no seemed bothered. I left the door open and so far no other incidents. Tonight after everyone was perched and broody and chicks in the hutch i shut the door again as i feel they are more vulnerable on the ground

 

[Peppercorngal]

This afternoon somehow the door to their small coop popped open. By the time i saw this, as it is inside of main coop, the flock was out just grazing as far away from coop as they could be. A few of the broodys feathers were outside the door and i feared the worst. However when i looked in the chicks were behind her pecking at some crumble on the floor and no seemed bothered. I left the door open and so far no other incidents. Tonight after everyone was perched and broody and chicks in the hutch i shut the door again as i feel they are more vulnerable on the ground

Great! Sounds like integration is not a problem! That is some good news! Mine are together from day one as the mother hen decides when to go out, etc.

 

[Azmomm]

All is going well so far. Very well. Broody chicks and rooster coexisting

 

[aart]

to me sooner is better than later

Yeppers!

A few of the broodys feathers were outside the door and i feared the worst.

Broody has to win her place in the pecking order...can take one fight or more or none. Congrats!