Advice on integrating chicks -- complicated situation

Krisellen

In the Brooder
Apr 1, 2022
8
30
36
So - I had a broody hen - I gave her 11 fertile eggs to sit on - set her up in a spot outside the coop and secure run but inside the chicken yard so she could still interact with the flock. Day 7 - a crow took an egg while she was off eating, so I enclosed her space and nest box - Day 12 - 10 eggs candled and security measures increased anticipating 'lockdown'. Hatch day -- 6 chicks (lost 1 within 12 hours ) 1 'bad egg' and 1 stopped development egg -- WHAT?? 2 more eggs are AWOL from underneath her ? Another security upgrade. Flock can see Mama and 5 chicks in the yard - interact through the separation fence and everything seems to be good. Unfortunately, 3 days after hatch I found the enclosure door destroyed, 5 baby chicks peeping anxiously and Mama hen's body in the yard. My fault for not anticipating the threats. So - I built a new enclosure in the secure run - big enough for 6 week +/- pullets and they have been hanging out and interacting well with the big girls as they pass by etc. Should I keep them separated by fencing for 6 weeks? Or can I integrate them earlier since they have seen them and interacted with them since day 1?
 
So - I had a broody hen - I gave her 11 fertile eggs to sit on - set her up in a spot outside the coop and secure run but inside the chicken yard so she could still interact with the flock. Day 7 - a crow took an egg while she was off eating, so I enclosed her space and nest box - Day 12 - 10 eggs candled and security measures increased anticipating 'lockdown'. Hatch day -- 6 chicks (lost 1 within 12 hours ) 1 'bad egg' and 1 stopped development egg -- WHAT?? 2 more eggs are AWOL from underneath her ? Another security upgrade. Flock can see Mama and 5 chicks in the yard - interact through the separation fence and everything seems to be good. Unfortunately, 3 days after hatch I found the enclosure door destroyed, 5 baby chicks peeping anxiously and Mama hen's body in the yard. My fault for not anticipating the threats. So - I built a new enclosure in the secure run - big enough for 6 week +/- pullets and they have been hanging out and interacting well with the big girls as they pass by etc. Should I keep them separated by fencing for 6 weeks? Or can I integrate them earlier since they have seen them and interacted with them since day 1?
You should have an easier time integrating them. I strongly suggest setting up an area that ONLY the babies can access by making a small opening for them that prevents the big birds from getting in. And add stuff to your run that will allow them to hide if needed. Chicken politics are ugly but unavoidable.

I had a complicated situation this year when I ended up with a solo chick after her 2 flockmates died suddenly. That solo chick then got an eye injury and eventually lost use of that eye. I got 2 more flockmates for her - same age - but they were easily 3x her size, so I put the "giant babies" (as we call them) in with the big flock. At 4 weeks, they were fine because of their weirdly huge size. They're now 8 weeks old and their growth is normal. Idk why they were such giant babies....

Point is, they'll probably be fine as long as they can escape any aggressive birds.
 

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