Dilemma

[chicknmania]

We have a mother hen with six chicks, three male, three female. They are about two months old. The flock is free range but currently mom and babes are in a pen til the babies are older and bigger, then they will join the flock. The original plan was we would let them out with their mother, but one of the chicks is still very small and not really ready to go out yet. However, momma has different ideas; she is trying to "wean" the babies....chasing and attacking them. So, the question is...should we let momma out alone and keep the babies in for a few more weeks in the hopes they will get bigger, before we let them out, or, should we let momma and the three females out and hope she will teach them what they need to know in the big world, and not desert them? The males will not be going out; they are waiting for new homes and will be leaving in a few weeks. We have not had this happen before; other mother hens we have had have kept their babies with them til they were about three months old, but Wishbone is DONE being a mother! I know there's no right answer, just curious what others would do.

 

[cmom]

Good idea of letting mom back out with the flock and keep the chicks separated for awhile. It doesn't seem like she will be protective of them if they are all integrated. You can try and see how it goes integrating the chicks and if the chicks are being bullied then separate them. Just my thoughts. I know every situation is different.

 

[chicknmania]

She only chases them away in environments she thinks are safe, at least that's what it looks like. In scary times she keeps them with her. She bawkbawks pitifully if I carry her away from them and put her in another pen. She is really doing what a good mother should do, just a little pre-mature. She would help keep the older chickens from picking on and intimidating the youngsters, is one of the main advantages of letting them out together.

 

[cmom]

If mom will protect them, then maybe put them all together and see how it goes.

 

[chicknmania]

I think I'm gonna let her go today witout them. She is so unhappy about being confined and I think she is taking it out on them to the point where they are afraid of her. The only time she mothers them now is at night, when they cuddle together to roost. And, since I don't know how she will act when they are free, maybe it would be better to keep them in til they're a little bigger and can better defend themselves. The smallest chick ran to me today when I went to feed them...I picked her up and she actually climbed to my shoulder, peeping all the way, then huddled there, trembling , and did NOT want me to put her down when I finally left. We have never had a hen act that way before....but I think I have read about it on here in the past.