Accidental chicken keeper - neighborhood feral

[GoneFeral]

Hi and hello!
I've wanted to have backyard chickens and know only a little, for instance that this site existed. I wasn't ready and have nothing built or planned beyond knowing the local ordinances - looks like if we build a coop at the back fence of the property we're good to go.
But- last week a random neighborhood chicken came into our backyard and hatched chicks. They've come and gone through gaps in the fence, and she takes them on daily rounds, but our yard is big and has lots of varied growth so I'm pretty sure we're her new home base. She's been here every day and has the neighborhood cats afraid of our yard already.
I've put water in two corners of the yard where her circuit takes them. I've also put out and scatter birdseed that I had for hanging feeders, finch mix, but they really go to town scratching and eating bugs and random plants all over the yard. She is absolutely wild and moves the brood away from any human she sees.
Keeping them alive was my first instinct, and now I'm looking at mom and her 10 babies and just... trying to figure out what to do.
There will probably be roosters in the brood, so I'm afraid I'll be giving them a couple more weeks and then it will be time to make some decisions; try to catch some/any/all of them, call animal services to catch them, call a neighborhood hen rescue to catch them?

Any advice? Right now I'm just trying to make sure they're as healthy and safe as possible.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! If you can't / don't want to keep them right now you could try posting in your state thread and see if anyone local wants them https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread The water is a good idea and it sounds like the hen is a good mother, you could put out some bowls of chick starter near the water you are leaving for them also (any feed store would have it).

 

[Judy]

We have a forum for free rehoming, here. You might try an ad on Craig's list.

If you decide to try to keep them, you may find that protecting them from predators is a real challenge because they are accustomed to their freedom and may not appreciate a coop and fenced yard. Truth is, unless you live in a very cold area, they really don't need a coop -- except for predator protection.

It's very kind of you to care for them. I hope you find a satisfactory solution.

 

[drumstick diva]

If you had the chicks away from her, you might be able to tame them after awhile. I think as long as they are with their mother - there is almost no chance of that.

If you can find where she is spending her nights with the chicks, you'd have a chance of catching her. Chickens usually stay put once it is dark out.

 

[gander007]

Alright

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

How nice of you to take care of them! You have been given some good leads for rehoming them. Should you decide to keep them, good luck and you know where we are if you need help. Welcome to our flock!

 

[Laurie59]

I am chuckling...I began with neighbors semi feral hens and turkey laying in back of truck 5 years ago.Playing hide and seek with eggs past 2 years.Now we are at the point where a mixed brood hatched and making a run with shelter for the chicks,They come "home to roost",over next 2 days!.I am fairly clueless,but they have been confined about 4 weeks and look for me to visit every day!. If you give her a quiet box,(check in coops/nest boxes),she will take her chicks there.Let her get comfortable going there.The semi ferals here like old dresser drawers and old cook pots in carport and pack house.Feed same time everyday and soon you will hear the chicks and "feel",Mama watching.
Only reason for run and shelter here is the advantage of both saving chicks and NOT playing egg hunt everyday!
Good Luck & Blessings

 

[GoneFeral]

Hi all, Thank you for the notes and advice - it's been five weeks now, she's still here and still has 11 chicks (a small miracle, a couple times I'd only counted 9 and was convinced the number would steadily decline.)

I do have a sort of plan to catch them when they pass through a narrow, double gated side yard; they currently use it as passage to the front by going through a board removed from the fence - if I put a container up against the hole they'll essentially cage themselves. After reading and talking to someone it seems doubtful that the momma hen would be happy in captivity, but keeping a set of the young is my goal and her if she'll stay. I've got a sack of starter feed so over the next week I'll be getting them all used to finding food in the side yard, while I get the materials for a run in place. Short term goal; get or build a coop/nesting items, build a larger run frame to let them have as much space as possible over the yard, use the run materials to catch them by penning in an area they thought has an exit. Long term; help them live and grow the babies to where we can sex them by appearance (not sure they'll ever be super easy to handle and sex manually) and then put out some "Hey, free young chickens (roosters/hens)" posts and contact rescue if needed.

I'll also try to get better pictures, still can't quite tell what sort of a hen she is. Little and quick come immediately to mind.

Cheers all!