Chicks

[MotherHen75]

We have a small flock of 6 hens and a rooster. One of the hens hatched 4 baby chicks, we separated her during the incubating and hatching process. The chicks are about a week old now, we’re not sure how to introduce them to the rest of the flock. Will mama be able to protect all four of them? Or should we just leave them separate till their older?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We have a small flock of 6 hens and a rooster. One of the hens hatched 4 baby chicks, we separated her during the incubating and hatching process. The chicks are about a week old now, we’re not sure how to introduce them to the rest of the flock. Will mama be able to protect all four of them? Or should we just leave them separate till their older?

Mama can usually handle it quite well... don't make her open up a can of crazy mama on someone.

Even hens lower in the pecking order become masters of the sneak attack to unsuspecting passers by... just to get their point across.

Have they been where other flock members could see them already?

 

[Peppercorngal]

I found that the younger and smaller the chicken the more acceptable they are to the flock. I'd give free ranging with the rest of the flock a go at this point for mom and babies. The babies will not really be noticed or thought of as any threat at this point. The flock may peck at mama hen, however, as she has been separate for awhile but it should be nothing serious. Give it a go while you watch and see. I'm guessing it will be just fine! I did that exact thing and everyone is getting along fine, there were no problems at all! Let us know how it goes!

 

[MotherHen75]

Yes, the rest of the flock has seen them. The broody hen was 2nd on the pecking order, just besides the other orpington. So far the chicks have not come out of the run yet, we give them the option but they seem scared. We’ll take them out soon, supervised with the others.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Yes, the rest of the flock has seen them. The broody hen was 2nd on the pecking order, just besides the other orpington. So far the chicks have not come out of the run yet, we give them the option but they seem scared. We’ll take them out soon, supervised with the others.

I'm surprised, the chicks should be very close in following Mama Hen! She should be clucking to them constantly and showing them the best bugs, the places to roost and all things chicken!

 

[aart]

So far the chicks have not come out of the run yet, we give them the option but they seem scared. We’ll take them out soon, supervised with the others.

But chicks are with mama, correct?
Does flock have access to same run?
Give her access to the flock with her chicks.

 

[MotherHen75]

But chicks are with mama, correct?
Does flock have access to same run?
Give her access to the flock with her chicks.

Yes, they are with their mama

 

[Peppercorngal]

Yes, they are with their mama

I'm a little unclear. If the chicks are with the Mother hen then they all should run around free ranging together. . .my last chicks hatched and stayed with mom for almost 4 weeks. Am I missing something?

 

[MotherHen75]

I'm a little unclear. If the chicks are with the Mother hen then they all should run around free ranging together. . .my last chicks hatched and stayed with mom for almost 4 weeks. Am I missing something?

Well the broody, she and the other hens wouldn’t leave each other alone, we moved her to the run of a separate coup when we realized the chicks could not get in our out the nesting box, since it was high. The day they hatched we had gone to florida, absolutely terrible timing. Though we got a friend to check in on them everyday, but we didn’t trust one of the hens around the chicks, she was lowest in the pecking order and would attack anything vulnerable. It was a week before we came back, and they had been in the large run for the time. They had food and water, we were just new to the whole process. Didn’t know if the others would accept them. That’s the reason for the thread.

 

[MotherHen75]

Today we let the mama hen and her chicks with the rest of the flock. All of the hens except one we’re fine with the chicks, that one hen got one peck in and was immediately chased off by mama. The chick was fine, but now mama chases off any hens, she seems to trust the rooster more then the girls though. She lets him come near the chicks, it’s kinda funny, he does his mating dance then realizes the chicks are on the ground and he can easily step on them. So whenever he does it he looks down and makes sure the chicks aren’t near him.