I'm looking for advice. I have a broody with two new chicks that are four days old. She took them outside yesterday for the first time, and wants to protect them but isn't being respected. I am keeping close watch and have seen two other hens get too close to her and the chicks, and she puffs up and screeches at them but does not defend them otherwise. Instead of the other hens being intimidated, they peck and jump at her until she runs away with the babies.
Rather than taking them back to the nest after their first day outside, she tucked them away outside in the run, under the steps to the coop where I could barely get to them. After I removed the chicks and put them in the nest, she stayed under the steps until I took her out and put her with them.
Do you think it's best to separate this little family from the rest of the flock? I can put them in my grow out coop and run, which is empty at the moment. They can be seen by the rest of the flock while they are free ranging during the day. I just worry that the babies won't be integrated as they are when raised within the same coop as the flock. Do you think that would work if I let mom and babies out daily when I'm available for supervised intermingling? Or do you have other suggestions? I'm not comfortable leaving them outside unattended with the rest of the flock.
Rather than taking them back to the nest after their first day outside, she tucked them away outside in the run, under the steps to the coop where I could barely get to them. After I removed the chicks and put them in the nest, she stayed under the steps until I took her out and put her with them.
Do you think it's best to separate this little family from the rest of the flock? I can put them in my grow out coop and run, which is empty at the moment. They can be seen by the rest of the flock while they are free ranging during the day. I just worry that the babies won't be integrated as they are when raised within the same coop as the flock. Do you think that would work if I let mom and babies out daily when I'm available for supervised intermingling? Or do you have other suggestions? I'm not comfortable leaving them outside unattended with the rest of the flock.
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