Chicks with hen?? PLEASE HELP

[lzeynep]

If I add a hen to my chicks, would the hen kill them? Would I need to separate them until the chicks got older? Thanks

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Hens will kill chicks.

Optimal time to integrate new chicks with adult hens is 16 weeks of age. If you do it before, it may or may not work out, depending on the personalities of the hens.

 

[lzeynep]

Hens will kill chicks.

Optimal time to integrate new chicks with adult hens is 16 weeks of age. If you do it before, it may or may not work out, depending on the personalities of the hens.

The hen I'm getting is actually a pullet. Does that change anything?

 

[bobbi-j]

Nope, doesn't change a thing. She's still much larger and will most likely be intolerant of chicks. I would separate until they're closer to the same size.

 

[DeannaMari]

I agree, separate. The only time this every works is if you have NEW baby chicks, like just hatched/1 day old and a broody hen who wants to be a mommy, and even then, sometimes it doesn't work. I'd suggest not putting them together until at LEAST 8 weeks of age, where the chicks are a bit bigger, but 16 weeks is preferred.

 

[lzeynep]

Yeah, I can separate them. I have tons of pens and runs I can use for the chicks

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: No, too old for putting with chicks.