An independent Speckled Sussex

[Shadrach]

The fathers is the rooster of her flock, and she did live with the other hens.
I would have liked to leave her to bring the chicks back by herself, but I was getting to worried about foxes, snakes and birds of prey, so I put the her and the chicks in a cat crate and put them in the coop last night.
I don't know if this was the best thing to do, but she seem ok with and I think it will work out

Yup. it's often difficult to know what to do for the best.
If I could find the outside broody I moved them and their eggs to a spare coop.
When they sat and hatched in my house I either moved them all to a maternity unit outside my front door on day 18 and crossed my fingers.
Those that sat and hatched in their tribes coop obviously had an advantage in integrating into the tribe.
Those that hatched in my house I moved as soon as mum had finished sitting.
I think what you've done should be fine.

 

[Sussex19]

They are growing up!

A cold change had just come though, and they were feeling a bit chilly.

They are the prettiest and most lively chicks I've had yet!
They are fully back with the rest of the flock now, and she's bossing a couple of other hens around.

 

[Perris]

thanks for the update - they're an adorable family

 

[Sussex19]

A day after this pic was taken, their mother decided that she had enough of them, and that they plenty big enough to look after themselves.
I think there are 8 pullets, and 3 cockerels. The pale brown one just to the bottom left of their mother went missing last night, and we hunted everywhere for her. But then in the morning she was waiting outside the coop. I don't know where she went, we hunted for an hour or more.

 

[Perris]

that's a lovely photo to remember this family by. The broody has done a fine job there, raising a large clutch to independence, and looking after them this long. I would guess she has taught them well how to free range; evidently at least one has mastered hiding already!