free ranging family

[buck431397]

My Little Cassie girl who had been missing for 4 weeks showed up yesterday with three cute little peanuts!
After a bit of a maggot butt problem which i believe i resolved (Cassies momma ended up dying bc of the same problem), I put them back outside to do their thing. Shes got her little safe spot SOMEWHERE, but my question is, when the babies get big enough to roost, will Cass know to go back to the coop, or will i have to round them up (provided I can find them)?

 

[Lollipop]

Most of the time they all join the flock. That should not be as much of a concern as losing the chicks to predators at this time. Good luck.........Pop

 

[snowflake]

how cute, I would try to follow her and find out were she is nesting, make sure it is safe for the little ones. I had my momma and chicks in a tractor with her little ones, and when she decided it was time to go back to the big coop she took her gang and went . she protected them for about a week at first intro to the big coop, but they had been free ranging with the rest of the flock for several weeks prior and momma nailed any hen that got to close, they are 8 weeks now and seem to be doing OK momma taught them well. and although there is a little pecking it is not harm full. I did put a low sided box on the roost as it is hard for the little ones to keep their footing, with the big ones knocking them around and they would end up on the poop board. the low seniority hen tends to show them out of the box but they usually sneak back up, sone times one or two will be under the box but at least they aren't getting pooed on