Chicks first walk

[freda]

Our broody hen has hatched 3 healthy wellsummer chicks 2 days ago and we want to let her take them for their first walk. (she has come off her other eggs now) We have protected her away from the other hens in a specially made coop and are now worried that if we let her out, the other very free range hens may attack her chicks. Is this likely and what can we do please. Any suggestions? Also any tips in sexing wellsummer chicks, I notice that 2 have a darker strip on their back than the other, Does this mean anything?

Any advice??
Freda

 

[Wexford Chuck]

Hi Freda you could try this link for sexing your Welsummers. https://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/welsummer/chicken/110

 

[freda]

Thankyou so much for that link, looks like 2 boys and a girl. Been out of their coop today and mother hen been showing the chicks their first dust bath. What a lovely thing to see. Shes been a wonderful mother with no attention at all from our other hens.

 

[fshinggrl]

Glad momma hen is doing her job! Congrats on the hatch!

 

[Steph Martin]

Hi Freda: I had free range hens and a rooster. The dominant female sat a clutch of eggs and hatched them out and after a few days brought them out. There was never a problem but, then again, she was the dominant and the rooster's favourite. In every "farmhouse" scene the hens and babies are out scratching around with the others and, where they are ranging, she will keep the babies away if there are any problems I would think...it's not like they are cooped up and in each other's faces.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Quote:
Is your broody a Welsummer or did you have to have a surrogate broody? I've been told that Welsummers seldom go broody and if the do they are terrible mothers. I am hoping that this is not always the case.

 

[freda]

Hi

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad new but our broody hen was one of our brown hens (goldline) who became so broody we could not get her off the eggs at all so we removed her into her own area and bought some welsummer fertile eggs and placed then under her. She has carried on being a wonderful mother and we have witnessed her pouncing on any hens, our dogs, in fact anything that goes near the chicks. They are out all day in the yard and we just put them away for safety against foxy loxy at night.

Freda.