Integrating momma and her three 10 week old babies

[termeerchick]

Hello everyone!

So I am going to be integrating my momma hen and her three -10 week old babies (1 cockerel and 2 pullets) with my flock of 10 hens. Right now the 4 free range my yard during the day and sleep in a large cage on my deck at night. My flock of 10 also free range during the day but on the other side of the property and We lock them into their coop at night. I have two ways I can integrate them but wanted some opinions first to see what is the best option.
• I can put them in a large run near the flock during the day and bring them back onto my deck at night and do this for awhile until they get along free ranging and are able to be in the same coop at night
Or
• I can have my husband build a coop on the run near the flock and just have them sleep in there. Then after awhile let them all free range with the flock and eventually have them share the main coop.
I know building another predator safe coop and run will be a lot of work but it will be done in one weekend. Also I know crating them morning and night to bring them out to the run will also be a lot of work but for while.
I don’t know what to do. If anyone has any ideas I would sooo appreciate it. Also how long would you recommend keeping them separated before letting them free range together? The babies are sooo sweet and we love them but I’m ready for them to be out with the rest. Lol im over stepping in big piles of chicken poop every time I come in or leave my yard. The worst is when my 3 year old goes out barefoot. You can only imagine hahaha.
Sorry this is so long but would love any input. Thank You!!

 

[aart]

So I am going to be integrating my momma hen and her three -10 week old babies (1 cockerel and 2 pullets) with my flock of 10 hens. Right now the 4 free range my yard during the day and sleep in a large cage on my deck at night.

How big is this cage...got a pic?
Pics of your main coop would help too.
Do you have a run off the main coop?
Is there a male in the main flock?
Any plans for this cockerel?

Do they ever cross paths during range time?

Usually folks get the mama and chicks back with the flock within a week of hatch,
after her setting the 3 weeks within sight of the flock.
I know, water under the bridge, but wanted to mention it for others reading.

You kind of have 2 integrations to do here..both mama and the chicks.
Broodies usually wean the chicks by 10 weeks.

If the cage is weather and predator proof, I'd put it near the main flock now.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't separate my broodies and their chicks from the flock at all so the hen takes care of integration. I've had a couple of broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks, leaving them on their own to make their way with the flock. They still have to handle pecking order issues as they grow but basic integration is handled. As Aart said, water under the bridge. This is for you and others reading this to consider next time. Plenty of other people do it the way you have, you may have read suggestions to do it that way on this forum. Now you need to handle integration yourself, hen and chicks.

Either one of your methods should work. Personally I'd go with the second, it will be less daily work for you once the new coop is built, plus it is always handy to have a second predator proof coop or shelter in case of an emergency. It gives you more flexibility when issues pop up. I'd keep it simple and think more shelter than coop. You still need ventilation and a roost. You could add a nest or leave room to stick one in there later if you need it, maybe a milk crate with bedding setting in the floor.

You can try a third method. I don't know if that hen is still protective of her chicks or not. Most wean them by ten weeks but not all. You could just put the broody and her chick in with the main flock when you can be around to observe. That may be all you need to do to integrate them, it really could be that easy.

How big is that run? You say they stay in a run yet you mention free ranging. I'm not exactly sure what is going on.

In the second method I'd keep them in the new coop for about a week so they get used to sleeping there, then let them loose to roam with the others during the day. They should go to the new coop to sleep on their own when it gets dark.

They may move into the main coop on their own but usually not. After they have roamed with the adults for a few weeks you can try to move them into the main coop at night. I do something like this with my brooder-raised chicks. I have to integrate them since they don't have a broody. After they have roamed with the adults for a few weeks, I wait until dark and lock them in the main coop, just putting them on the coop floor. They will work out where to sleep, even in the dark. Make sure the coop is dark enough the adults will stay on the roosts until daylight. Then be down there at daylight the first few mornings to open the pop door. I usually only have to go down there that early once or twice before I'm confident there will be no massacres. I've done this a lot plus I have a large coop with lots of hiding spaces. I don't now what your main coop looks like.

Typically my brooder-raised pullets will not sleep on the main roosts with the adults until the pullets start to lay. There is nothing typical about when cockerels try that. I don't care where mine sleep as long as it is not in the nests and is predator-safe.

Let us know what you try and how it works. Good luck!

 

[termeerchick]

Good questions!! It’s a little confusing so I’ll try to explain it the best I can. All together I have 3 flocks
-my main flock of ten hens (no Roosters) that free range on one side of the property
-the 4 in my yard (momma hen and the three ten week olds) that free range on my side of the property in my big fenced in yard
-and then I have another flock of 15 (2 roosters and 13 hens) and they used to be the guy that rented out another part of the property. When he was moving he gave me the momma and babies because momma hatched them in his shed and he needed it emptied. Then a few weeks later when he actually left the property he said he couldn’t take any of them with so now I have 3 flocks. My plan was to put them with my flock because at first I didn’t know he wasn’t going to end up taking his own chickens. And my flock doesn’t have any Roosters. The two bigger flocks have seen each other through fences for about 7 months. The momma and babies have also seen my flock of 10 on and off. It just depends if they come up to my yard. It is a see through 4 ft fence. I’d say at least half of my flock comes by my house a few times a day. I was wondering when she was going to ween them. She still lets them sleep under her. Lol as much as they can fit at least haha. And she still crumbles any food and drops it for them. I had no idea momma and babies could go back out that early. I’ve read Somewhere on BYC that you want the babies almost as big as the hens. I’m so glad I read your post and made a thread because I’d be waiting a lot longer.

Yea there is a small run connected to the coop. I’ll take pictures as soon as I run out there to let the chickens out. It’s almost 7:00 am here and the sun is just coming up. I live in Arroyo Grande CA. And it’s stays nice here almost year round. We might get a little rain but doesn’t get too cold.

 

[Mrs. K]

Depending on the size of your main coop/run, but if it was big enough, I think I would let the main flock out, and lock the two other flocks in that set up by mid morning. There will probably be some dust ups, but I would not expect it to get too bad, just because they do kind of know each other, AND THERE are so many of them.

Then I would let the original flock in as close to dark as you can do it. Again, I think that there will be a bit of a dust up, but I think it will settle.

A LOT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH ROOM YOU really have.

MRs K

 

[termeerchick]

The run’s aren’t that big. I’d say they are about 5ft by 10ft. My main one for my flock of the 10 hens is kind of a coop and run together. I took a picture of the cage that’s on my deck that the momma (by the way, what is a momma hen called? Lol) and 3 babies sleep in at night. then I took a video of the coop/run area and where they free range. How do i go about posting the video? Thank you everyone soooo much for the replies! I am still learning everyday and I appreciate everything you all teach me.

 

[termeerchick]

This is the cage that is on my deck that the momma and 3 ten weeks old babies sleep in at night

This is the fencing to our front yard so it is see through. My flock of 10 hens walk by a few times a day and can see them.

 

[termeerchick]

I took some pictures of the coop/run that I’ll post until I can figure out how to post the video.

 

[termeerchick]

Here are some pictures of the other cage/run I was thinking of putting the momma and babies in during the day until I get them free ranging together and in the same coop at night. Or we might build something that’s a little more permanent out of it. I’m not sure what I’m doing yet. I’m stressing.

 

[townchicks]

I would go with the second choice, build a new coop in the run, and let them see more of each other, then free range them together. The mom and chicks will probably go back to their own coop at night.