How does a hen introduce her chicks into the flock

[RedReiner]

Wondering after hatching if they go back in with the rest of the population? will mom protect them? or do they have to stay separated from the rest of the pirhanas until they are half grown... does momma turn into schwarzenEGGer and flog any that touch her babies?

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

That's a good Question, I was wondering the same.

 

[Higins00]

With mine the Mama walks around like usual and if anyone comes near her babies she goes after them. Usually they fall down in the pecking order from being in the nest for 21 days. She just stays clear of everyone but will defend the babies. Then one day when the chick is months older the mom just roosts somewhere else and leaves them to fend for themselfs.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

It depends on the broody. I had 2, and didn't separate them from the flock. By the end of the first day, 1 hen had stolen all of the chicks. She's mean as can be to the other hens when she has chicks, so they leave her alone. The first day or two can be a tricky adjustment, especially if she has a large brood. You may want to let her prove her self with one or two first, to see how protective she is.

I had another broody kill her chicks at hatch, and then kill another broody's chicks when they hatched. They can be pretty brutal.

That said, I'd trust the good mom with more chicks in the flock anytime. Her last two chicks are full grown now, and are a normal part of the flock.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

My sweet little slikie turned into a schwarzenEGGer

No one needed to be told twice here. Every hen probably acts a little different so I would plan on keeping them separate for a little while. I don't think I let mine out with the rest of the flock for about 2 weeks but my mama hen had what she hatched plus a bunch of babies from the bator so way to many for here to keep safe when they were tiny.

 

[wood&feathers]

I tried to keep my broody and her baby seperate, but didn't plan on her giving her little guy a RIDE on her saddle! I think it was maybe day 2 or 3? She definitely defended the little one, very aggressively at first, then letting others boss him a little more as he grew.

 

[RedReiner]

ok good, thats what I wanted to hear. She is sitting on 5 eggs. She was the boss of the flock where she used to live, and when I got her she became boss the minute she entered the flock. The rest of my flock consists of 3 orp pullets and 1 serama cockeral. He is just there for his looks lol. I did split the run for now so the others would not go sit on her.

 

[Lynieboo]

My hen hatched 3 and we put 3 that was a day old under her. I kept her in a fenced off area inside the run so she could see everyone and everyone could see her and the babies. after about a week she was acting like she wanted out so i opened it up and out came her and her babies!! She has put everyone in line that has came near them including the 85 pound dog. lol. They graze all over the yard away from the flock and the others are used to them and do not bother the babies at all. I guess i have gotten lucky.

 

[Mrs. K]

I leave mine with the flock. She can go out into the flock as needed for eating, pooping and drinking needs. I will remove her from her nest carefully about every 2-3 days - just to check the eggs making sure that she does not get some stray eggs. The ones she is setting on are marked.

I do not bother her at all the last week. I just ignore her. She knows where the water and feed is, and will take care of her needs.

I will check (who can resist) when it gets down to day 20-21 to see if I hear peeping, but I stay out of the coop and let her be.

The next day, I will set up water and feed on the floor of the coop. But I just wait. Usually within 12-24 hours, after I hear the first peep, I will go down and she will have them out of the nest. The layers are used to leaving her alone. She introduces them to the flock.

Within a week - they are running in amongst the layers, and are mostly ignored. Yesterday - I have one with 3 chicks, and when I went down to the run, she had 2 of them up on a platform about 2 feet off the ground. I will put a board across the roosts. In the past she has had them roosting with the flock by week 4.

Mostly, they know more about being a chicken, and if you leave them alone they will tend to it. But not every chick lives.

Mrs K

 

[MessyJo]

This is my second time with my broody and chicks, no rooster. Both times she initially started in her own space. First time with two chicks this time 7.

The chickens usually have half to yard to themselves, but when I let Mom out with chicks for the first few times, I open the gate so they have access to the whole yard. That way the rest of the hens are excited to get into forbidden territory and everyone has plenty of space.

The first time there was just one hen at the bottom of the pecking order that went after the chicks. I like to imagine that she saw there were newcomers and wanted to make sure she was above them. Mom first tried running away, but then turned around, reared up and put her in her place. No problems after that.

This time, everyone is leaving the chicks alone, but a different hen that's about the same place in the pecking order as mom decided she wanted to mess with mom. So her and mom have gone at it a couple times. When they start, all the other hens come running to watch. Now they all seem okay.

Both times mom goes back to her temporary place with the chicks at night. It wasn't until she was done raising them that she finally went back and rejoined the flock in her regular coop.