- Sep 14, 2010
- 178
- 8
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Hi all! I've got a situation. My kids and I are going on a 2 week vacation, leaving DH behind to care for the chickens (and because he has to stay for work 
) I've got a hen with 3 chicks (they are approximately 5 weeks old) in a brooder pen, separated from the rest of the flock (5 more hens and a juvenile Muscovy duck.) A few times in the last few days, a chick will fly up and roost on their fence, and sometimes, come down on the wrong side, becoming separated from Mama and the rest of the chicks. When we are home, it's no big deal to go out and reunite them, but with DH gone all day, I'm worried. We have the whole chicken yard fenced, but some of it is chainlink, which the chicks can still fit through.
I have thought of covering the brooder pen, but that'll make it harder to care for them, and they may hurt themselves trying to fly to the top of their fence like they have become in the habit of doing.
Clipping their wings doesn't seem like a good idea until they're fully feathered out.
DH says I should just let them out of the brooder, but they seem too young and small to be integrated.
Ideas? I'm thinking covering the brooder makes the most sense, but what do you all think?
Thanks!
Angela
) I've got a hen with 3 chicks (they are approximately 5 weeks old) in a brooder pen, separated from the rest of the flock (5 more hens and a juvenile Muscovy duck.) A few times in the last few days, a chick will fly up and roost on their fence, and sometimes, come down on the wrong side, becoming separated from Mama and the rest of the chicks. When we are home, it's no big deal to go out and reunite them, but with DH gone all day, I'm worried. We have the whole chicken yard fenced, but some of it is chainlink, which the chicks can still fit through.I have thought of covering the brooder pen, but that'll make it harder to care for them, and they may hurt themselves trying to fly to the top of their fence like they have become in the habit of doing.
Clipping their wings doesn't seem like a good idea until they're fully feathered out.
DH says I should just let them out of the brooder, but they seem too young and small to be integrated.
Ideas? I'm thinking covering the brooder makes the most sense, but what do you all think?
Thanks!
Angela
