I'm scared!!!

[gritsar]

'k, thanks y'all.
Doe is being an excellent mama. I have no intention of taking her chicks from her. Even trying my best I couldn't do half a good a job as she is.
We moved the meaties out of that coop, so I don't have to worry about them hurting another chick. There's no way for predators to get in the coop at night. I was positively spastic about that when we retrofitted the building to house chickens. At night when the coop is closed up, a predator would basically have to get through two layers of hardware cloth, two sets of doors, a lock and four barrel bolts.
They are with the flock all day long, outside and I check on her and the chicks at least once an hour. She's taught the chicks all about running for cover when she hears or sees something she doesn't like.
My concern was during the overnight and early morning hours before I can get out there to let the flock out. I'm afraid that confined in the coop the others might not be as easygoing about their new little roommates. Maybe I just need a few more days of watching mama care for them and the other chickens interacting with them before I'm comfortable.

Dawn, I hadn't read of your losses. I'm so sorry.

I edited my OP so it makes a little more sense. Mama and babies are locked in their coop at night, all the chickens are. By 'all day' I meant, during the daylight hours; when the birds are free-ranging.

 

[Judy]

Thanks, about the losses. I'm nursing one more, not real confident she will make it, seems to have internal injuries, almost nothing external though. It's just part of it, isn't it?

One thing about it, when they wake up and before you open the door, at least mama will have a good handle on where the chicks are, and is likely to see anyone approaching with evil intentions right away. I have 7 chicks right at 3 weeks old. Mama's had them outdoors since sometime during their first week, and today she was checking out a nest box with the chicks several feet from her, so I suspect she's about ready to kick them out of the house. I wish she'd keep being a mama a little longer, but.... Anyway, when they are outdoors she doesn't seem to watch them as closely as in the coop, if only because they're a little further away. Now this is a 11x17 or so coop with 15 chickens, counting the babies, and still she is more attentive indoors.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Strange that she would be more attentive inside, no?
Yesterday Doe got the chicks all settled down and quiet in a little niche under the carport and dared to walk maybe three feet away, just around the corner out of sight. Pearl let out a little peep and Doe flew back to them in an instant.
Heck I thought she was gonna kick my butt today when I picked one up and it squawked.

 

[Judy]

We have a stinkeye contest when I pick up one of mine!

I sort of back her down.

My theory is, they get busy foraging outdoors, they are so driven to do this. She still keeps them pretty close, especially when another hen comes near. I think she's a little more easily distracted outdoors, though. And she lets them wander a little further.

 

[woodmort]

You're a human, they're chickens. You take care of human babies the best you can, they take care of chicks the best they can. You have to trust them to know what they're doing. People make mistakes with their babies, chickens may as well but they have the advantage in that they don't have other chickens giving them advice. I suspect the chicks will be fine and will integrate into the flock seamlessly when the time come.

 

[yelim]

+ 15

 

[axion_lotus]

I agree with greenSearcher. If mama's done an okay job so far, I'd trust her and let her do what she thinks is right for her chicks.

But if you'd really rather be safe than sorry, it'll be okay to bring them in. No harm, no foul.

With a good chicken mama, mama knows best.

 

[AnaD]

Quote:

 

[Mrs. K]

I did let her decide. I would leave the crate open, but if she can get them to roost, I would let them. My chicks were raised by moma, and for weeks, she stayed between them and the other chickens, for the most part, any chick that got away from her, got pecked, but then squawked and mama came into the charge, so while the chicks learned some chicken manners, they were not in danger of their lives.

Have you seen her call a warm up time out? So darn funny. I just love them peeking out of under her!

I think if she has got them in and out of the coop, and on the roost, she is doing fine. Just as a side note, I had a hen, who coaxed her chicks clear to the top of the nesting boxes, a board about 8 inches wide, and about 4 feet off the ground, they roosted together on that. The chicks were not completely feathered out yet, I was never quite sure just how she first got them up there??

MrsK

 

[gritsar]

Mrs. K :

I did let her decide. I would leave the crate open, but if she can get them to roost, I would let them. My chicks were raised by moma, and for weeks, she stayed between them and the other chickens, for the most part, any chick that got away from her, got pecked, but then squawked and mama came into the charge, so while the chicks learned some chicken manners, they were not in danger of their lives.

Have you seen her call a warm up time out? So darn funny. I just love them peeking out of under her!

I think if she has got them in and out of the coop, and on the roost, she is doing fine. Just as a side note, I had a hen, who coaxed her chicks clear to the top of the nesting boxes, a board about 8 inches wide, and about 4 feet off the ground, they roosted together on that. The chicks were not completely feathered out yet, I was never quite sure just how she first got them up there??

MrsK

Thanks. Mama took them to their crate last night and I left it unlocked. Poor girl was frantic as she checked each box - nestboxes and another crate - trying to decide which one would be best to sleep in. In the meantime it was getting dark and the chicks peeps were starting to get loud so she had to make up her mind quickly. In the end she settled on their original box.
I know she wants to roost with them at night, but Rowdy the special chick, can't quite get the hang of roosting yet. Somehow Mama Hen seems to understand that. Hopefully Rowdy will get it figured out soon. I'm leaving a chick level waterer in there too for now. The other two chicks jump up on the blocks that the adult waterers stand on to get a drink, but Rowdy can't manage it yet.
They were all fine this morning.​