Changes... Everywhere.

[The Angry Hen]

Hey Everybody,

Okay... About four or five days ago I added my two youngest chicks in with the one of many flocks. (I would call them pullets or cockerels because they are 35 days old, but I am unsure about their sexes). They were fine! They were with their Mother and they were great! After the elder's teaching who's boss, they were like best buds. - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dang... My BC hen started to attack the younger one of the two. She didn't defend herself, I was outside in time, but she couldn't stand up for herself. Sad. So I put her and her sibling and Mother back into the area the hatched, they can see the flock but can't be pecked.

Should I wait until they can handle themselves to re-add 'em in with the flock? Let me know!
................................................................................................................................................

Then, my Sussex hens, all three, were eating eggs and being grouchy, so I separated them and put them with the "rough" flock. They were fine.
................................................................................................................................................
Dang... The same night as the other incident, they were being beat up by the rough flock and lost their tail feathers. They are back with their original flock.

The full moon was not friendly..........

I guess I'm fine with the Sussex's being back with their rightful home, but what should I do and when with the young ones? Please oh please let me know! Thank you, God bless!

Sincerely,
-The Angry Hen

P.S

(Sorry if I am not clear, I am rambling...
I just would like to get everything settled sooner than later! )

 

[MagpieDucks]

Hey Everybody,

Okay... About four or five days ago I added my two youngest chicks in with the one of many flocks. (I would call them pullets or cockerels because they are 35 days old, but I am unsure about their sexes). They were fine! They were with their Mother and they were great! After the elder's teaching who's boss, they were like best buds. - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dang... My BC hen started to attack the younger one of the two. She didn't defend herself, I was outside in time, but she couldn't stand up for herself. Sad. So I put her and her sibling and Mother back into the area the hatched, they can see the flock but can't be pecked.

Should I wait until they can handle themselves to re-add 'em in with the flock? Let me know!
................................................................................................................................................

Then, my Sussex hens, all three, were eating eggs and being grouchy, so I separated them and put them with the "rough" flock. They were fine.
................................................................................................................................................
Dang... The same night as the other incident, they were being beat up by the rough flock and lost their tail feathers. They are back with their original flock.

The full moon was not friendly..........

I guess I'm fine with the Sussex's being back with their rightful home, but what should I do and when with the young ones? Please oh please let me know! Thank you, God bless!

Sincerely,
-The Angry Hen

P.S

(Sorry if I am not clear, I am rambling...
I just would like to get everything settled sooner than later! )

Sounds like the mother of the chicks isn't doing her job? I would keep them separated. If the mother isn't protecting them, they are way to young to defend themselves. You can try the touch no see method if you want and then have supervised introduction periods, if you'd like to. https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/02/egg-eating-prevention-and-treatment-html/ I'm not sure how I feel about the whole bad tasting thing treatment. Have you considered a rollout nest box setup?

 

[The Angry Hen]

Sounds like the mother of the chicks isn't doing her job? I would keep them separated. If the mother isn't protecting them, they are way to young to defend themselves. You can try the touch no see method if you want and then have supervised introduction periods, if you'd like to. https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/02/egg-eating-prevention-and-treatment-html/ I'm not sure how I feel about the whole bad tasting thing treatment. Have you considered a rollout nest box setup?

Hello,

Thank you for responding!

She is a very good mother and I am happy with her, but I have a funny feeling she let them go too early. She kinda pushed them from the nest the second they joined the flock.
The touch no see method sounds good, I might just try that.
I have not tried the roll-out box, but I should! I will look into it. Thank you again, I find this information very helpful.

I will also keep them separated for a bit too, at least until she can defend herself. Also... Hopefully I will know what sexes they are shortly, but it isn't that close to telling quite yet.

-K

 

[bobbi-j]

The mother of your two chicks has weaned them. Hens usually are done raising their babies anywhere between 4-8 weeks old. So basically, those two little ones were put in there on their own. I have found that introducing a mama with babies within the first two weeks or so of hatching works very well. Her hormones are still in "mama mode" and she'll stand up to anyone who bothers her chicks. Then, when they are weaned, they are already accepted members of the flock. How big is the coop/run (dimensions of both, please) that you put them in? How many chickens were already in there? Were there places for the youngsters to get away from the older ones? Multiple feeders and waterers so they could have a chance at eating and drinking? There are a lot of factors that could be at play here.

 

[MagpieDucks]

Hello,

Thank you for responding!

She is a very good mother and I am happy with her, but I have a funny feeling she let them go too early. She kinda pushed them from the nest the second they joined the flock.
The touch no see method sounds good, I might just try that.
I have not tried the roll-out box, but I should! I will look into it. Thank you again, I find this information very helpful.

I will also keep them separated for a bit too, at least until she can defend herself. Also... Hopefully I will know what sexes they are shortly, but it isn't that close to telling quite yet.

-K

Glad to help!

 

[The Angry Hen]

The mother of your two chicks has weaned them. Hens usually are done raising their babies anywhere between 4-8 weeks old. So basically, those two little ones were put in there on their own. I have found that introducing a mama with babies within the first two weeks or so of hatching works very well. Her hormones are still in "mama mode" and she'll stand up to anyone who bothers her chicks. Then, when they are weaned, they are already accepted members of the flock. How big is the coop/run (dimensions of both, please) that you put them in? How many chickens were already in there? Were there places for the youngsters to get away from the older ones? Multiple feeders and waterers so they could have a chance at eating and drinking? There are a lot of factors that could be at play here.

That's another thing, I know she weans them off sometime... But I wasn't sure when. The only reason I thought it was early is the Mama hen isn't laying eggs yet, no sign of broody lingering though.
Their original home was a bit too small for them, probably eight ft (long) by four ft (wide). I realize that was a mistake, but the coop I added them to is probably about 12ft (wide) by 11 ft (long). The coop held about 6 chickens. They had many perches and boxes and hide outs. They had two water feeding stations and much food for everyone.

-The Angry Hen

 

[Mrs. K]

I introduced chicks to the flock, at 3 weeks of age. They were brooder raised, so no mother. I put them in the run, sectioned off with lattice panels. So many times people LOCK birds apart, and only allow the interaction when they unlock them. This gives them a lot of control, but also a lot of responsibility to supervise. People have lives, and so go on with them, and what seemed to be working all of a sudden does not.

The lattice panel worked as a one way gate. The chicks could go through it like water. The older birds could stick a head in and look around. What happened for me, was the first day, the chicks just stayed inside. The area was much bigger than their original brooder. The found the food and water. The next day, they explored a bit, but stayed close to the lattice, if they felt threatened, they returned to safety. This allowed the hens to get used to them, and if they got tired of the chicks, they could chase the chicks and they would run to the safe zone. This allowed them to learn chicken society, but do it safely.

My point is, with the one way gate, the birds (all of them, old and young) work out the pecking order with safety on their time preference, when they are ready and willing to risk it.

Mrs K

 

[The Angry Hen]

I introduced chicks to the flock, at 3 weeks of age. They were brooder raised, so no mother. I put them in the run, sectioned off with lattice panels. So many times people LOCK birds apart, and only allow the interaction when they unlock them. This gives them a lot of control, but also a lot of responsibility to supervise. People have lives, and so go on with them, and what seemed to be working all of a sudden does not.

The lattice panel worked as a one way gate. The chicks could go through it like water. The older birds could stick a head in and look around. What happened for me, was the first day, the chicks just stayed inside. The area was much bigger than their original brooder. The found the food and water. The next day, they explored a bit, but stayed close to the lattice, if they felt threatened, they returned to safety. This allowed the hens to get used to them, and if they got tired of the chicks, they could chase the chicks and they would run to the safe zone. This allowed them to learn chicken society, but do it safely.

My point is, with the one way gate, the birds (all of them, old and young) work out the pecking order with safety on their time preference, when they are ready and willing to risk it.

Mrs K

Hello Mrs. K,

Yes, I think it is healthy for interaction from a young age. I normally get upset when it comes to the point I need separation, but I learned it's better safe than sorry.

That sounds like a very intelligent idea! I might just try that! In fact, I have some lattice panel I can use, but I'm worried the chicks are too big to fit through now.

Thank you for your pleasant suggestion, I will look into everything. I sure am learning a lot from my friends. Once more, thank you very much.

Have a nice day.

Sincerely,
-The Angry Hen

 

[Chickassan]

Angry hen, I'm sorry the full moon flipped you the bird. I don't have any suggestions but know you aren't alone. I've got a cockrel
trying to mount the front of a hen she's got a rose comb and I think it's confusing him and on top of that the guy has a yeast infection on his comb so I'm having to tackle him and slather him with monistat. So you aren't the only one the moon took offence to.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Angry hen, I'm sorry the full moon flipped you the bird. I don't have any suggestions but know you aren't alone. I've got a cockrel
trying to mount the front of a hen she's got a rose comb and I think it's confusing him and on top of that the guy has a yeast infection on his comb so I'm having to tackle him and slather him with monistat. So you aren't the only one the moon took offence to.

I feel ya.
Sorry to hear about the issues you had with the full moon, it sure was a pain this time.

I hope your cockerel learns the right way...

-The Angry Hen