introducing 8 four week old chicks to one hen?

[UrbanGAFarmer]

One of my two hens died and now I am down to only one. I have 8 four week old chicks living in a run next to the hens run. They have been there for 5 days. Since there is only one hen, who is very lonely, do you think it'll be safe to try and merge then together? If so, what would be the best way to do this?

 

[EweSheep]

It would not be a good idea. Wait until the chicks are nearly her size to be able to defend themselves from her. She may not be openly acceptive to them at that young age.

What you can do is if they are still next door to each other, it will be fine. As time goes on, she will get use to the chick's presence and when they get older, you then can merge when they are around two to three months old. The older, the better. If she attacks them, pull them out and wait another few weeks to a month and try again.

 

[UrbanGAFarmer]

Will having them beside her help with her loneliness our should I do something else to help her?

 

[LCEchickens]

Last spring we bought a coop off craigslist and the owner begged us to take her single hen as well. We raised 3 barred rock chicks to put in with her. We housed the chicks next to her once they were about 5 weeks old. The hen spent a lot of time laying next to the chick's screened off enclosure...I took this as a good sign. I finally introduced them when the chicks were 7 weeks old. There was a little bit of pecking and chasing but nothing serious. The hen established herself as the boss and a year later she still is. The chicks were no where near the hen's size and they roosted on the opposite side of the coop from the hen at night, but I think the hen was much happier being apart of a flock again.

I would just suggest watching your hen. If she seems to want to be near the chicks and doesn't show a lot of aggression, try it in a couple weeks. Just stay close in case you need to step in to break up a scuffle. Good luck!