Is it ok for a momma hen to not see the flock for a couple months as she raises the chicks?

[zhutson789]

She is probably one of the lowest on the pecking order too.

 

[MarkJr]

Like 100% isolation? No free range time together?

They will treat her like a stranger. I leave my broody and chicks with the flock. No separation at all.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Like 100% isolation? No free range time together?

They will treat her like a stranger. I leave my broody and chicks with the flock. No separation at all.

Some flock members may kill chicks.

 

[cherrynberry]

Some flock members may kill chicks.

Typically the mom protects them if they are hers

 

[cherrynberry]

However I do recommend that you allow them to at least see eachother

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you are wary of keeping them with the flock then isolate in the run so they are only separated by a fence, use a dog kennel for coop. Once the chicks are month old you should be good to take the temp fence down.

 

[Alaskan]

She is probably one of the lowest on the pecking order too.

There is no right answer, since flock dynamics vary wildly from one flock to the next...

Ideally the hen would stay in the flock with the chicks... but this means she has to be protective of the chicks (not all broodies are), and the flock mates have to be OK with it too, and not have "kill all chicks" tendencies.

I have separated a single hen and chicks from the main flock for over a month, (and no, they couldn't see each other), and when I reintroduced her there were no issues... but again... that is my flock. Some flocks might have tried to kill her....


My advise is if it is safe to let her brood with the flock do that.

If it isn't safe for her to brood in the flock try to have her brood where they can all still see each other.

If that doesn't work with your set up, then brood completely segregated but realize you might need to be super creative to reintegrate.

 

[zhutson789]

Like 100% isolation? No free range time together?

They will treat her like a stranger. I leave my broody and chicks with the flock. No separation at all.

She and the babies are in a separate pen away from the big birds. Before she hatched eggs out, we would take her down for 15-20 mins a day. Now she goes crazy if we take her out. We plan to put her in a pen inside the big pen for 3-4 weeks so they can see but not get to them.