Mama is trying to leave the nursery! What should I do? (PICS)

[Ridgerunner]

They are living animals. No one can tell you what will happen. I let my broodies raise them with the flock. I've seen two week old chicks eating at a feeder with other adults. Sometimes a hen will peck it to remind it that it is bad manners to eat with chickens higher in the pecking order. In that case the chick goes flying back to Mama. Sometimes the hens leave the chicks alone and share the feeder. I've had a rooster go in to stay with very young chicks when Mama got caught on the wrong side of a fence and could not figure out the concept of gate. Some people like Bock have had horrible experiences.

Anything can happen. I think the biggest factors are how much room you have, the personality of your broody, and the personality of your other chickens. Evidently Bock has a bully and I have some laid back hens. I consider there to be risks either way you go about it, but I also feel very confident that Mama will not want to leave the chicks behind.

Good luck however you decide.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Quote:
As always, excellent words of wisdom from Ridgerunner.

I agree, it all depends on the temperament of the broody, but if she's already proving herself to be a good mama, I would go for it.

Just watch them carefully for the first little while, you'll know pretty quick if the mama is going to do her job and keep the other hens from hurting her chicks.

I've done both, kept mom + babies isolated from the rest of the flock and let them all hang out together. I've found letting a broody raise her chicks with the flock makes for relatively seamless integration versus the normal violent upheaval when you try to put the hen and grown chicks back in with the group after weeks of separation.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[CluckySam]

Thanks for your advice everyone!

We have been letting mama and the babies out in the big coop when the big girls go out to free range. Wonky has started flying on top of the hen house then clucking down at the chicks, to try to encourage them to fly up. I think she is trying to show them where they will be sleeping when they are a bit bigger. The chicks flap their wings and jump, but can't get up there yet. It's quite funny to watch. After flying up and down, up and down, Wonky eventually will settle back down in the little partitioned off area. We haven't let them mingle yet, because I want to be home to be able to do it under supervision, in case the other hens take offence. Our plan for this weekend is to open the nursery and let them all mingle together, then maybe look to give them some outside time in another week or so, but only fully supervised because of cats.

Here is a pic from yesterday:

Sorry about pic quality - can't get them to stand still!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

They're grown -

I love your momma!

 

[CluckySam]

Hi Mrs Fluffy Puffy,

they sure have grown!! I think they have almost doubled in size in the last week. And big legs too. I'm worried I have 4 little boys actually. But, I know, I know, still too young to tell. We opened up the nursery this weekend and let everyone mingle in the run. The big-bottomed Barnevelders didn't really take much notice of the chicks, but the Big Bossy Boots hassled mama quite a few times. Wonky was very protective of her chicks and propped out her wings and fluffed up her neck feathers. She also chased and pecked at the other Hamburg's comb, to get her message fully across NOT TO MESS WITH HER BABIES!!

Each night, Wonky still does the up and down on top of the coop episode, whilst clucking at the chicks, but she has ended up going to sleep in the nursery and I have locked them up each night.

Tonight I decided to put up a wire fence rather that the mesh door that we have, so now Wonky and the chicks can walk out into the run area and then back in if they get hassled by the big bottomed Barnies who can't fit through the fence! Fingers crossed everyone will be ok when I get home from work tomorrow!!

 

[Chicken Chat]

What a good mama! From what I have heard, having chicks actually bumps them up in the pecking order, so that might help.
Adorable babies

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
OH NO!

I hope they aren't all roosters!

That would be horrible!

That's good that the momma will protect her young!

 

[CluckySam]

My babies are now three weeks old! Here are some pics from today. They are just starting to feather out on their chests and tails. They are loving looking out into the garden to see what is going on. I'm thinking of letting them roam in the garden on the weekend, once the cat is locked away!!

Cheers,
Sam

(edited cause I added the wrong photo!)

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
I love the little while specks on their wings!