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- #11
'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.
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.
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