First, an update on Cinnamon, for those of you wondering what happened to my hen with a bum leg/knee ( I wrapped it with sports wrap and she's able to put some weight on it, but still mostly hops on the good leg): I had her isolated in a crate in the garage for 2 - 3 weeks, where she could still hear the gossip from the coop. Also, she could hear, but not see, the chicks that were just a few weeks old. Fast forward to 2 weeks ago: when the chicks achieved 4 weeks, I put them in the big coop that I moved all the older hens out of. Sure, a few tried to come back, but it's fenced and they were ultimately unsuccessful. I gave them a light, in case it was too cold, moved Cinnamon in with them (she sleeps in one of the 8 nesting boxes, always has) and now that she can get down the ramp, I let her out into her yard during the day, and then she climbs the ramp to be let in at night. The plan is, when it's time to integrate the newbies to the old hen flock, Cinnamon will be their Mama Hen, since she's always been my Alpha Hen (even stops/breaks up fights, protects weaker hens, stands up to roosters!). What do you think? will my plan work? I'm hoping to conjoin the 2 runs/coops when the chick are around 4 months old.
Should work. I will add if you have the room or free range, letting them mingle around 12 weeks is possible. It lets them get to set a rough order before being put in tighter quarters together. The question is if Cinnamon is ready by then.
