Introducing chicks to flock

[Anne Katherine]

I have a bantam hen with chicks, (pic attached from the day after they were hatched) who have been separated from the flock for a little over two weeks. They have not been exposed to any of the flock except to see them through the bars of their cage. Are they able to join the flock? Will the bantam mom be able to take care of them? If not, what needs to happen before they can join the flock?

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

When a broody raises her chicks in with the flock fro day of hatch, she normally does an excellent job of protecting the chicks from the adults, and when she stops mothering, the chicks are already accepted, at least well enough that they are not attacked. I don't know how true this would hold for two week old chicks. It's not a perfect record for day olds, either, although I've done this with about 6 clutches so far and havent lost a chick to the other adults yet.

 

[Anne Katherine]

One of the chicks was a bit weak during the first week and we have 4 roosters so we were giving him time to recuperate. Thus they are two weeks old and were not integrated right away..