Mom and chicks question...

[SunAngel]

I purchased a bantam hen and 3 chicks at the auction last night and now I am not exactly sure what to do with them lol. This is my first time raising chickens and most of my flock is 11 weeks old, with a few older chickens in the mix. I just couldnt pass up the opportunity to get a hen for such a good price.

I am wondering what the best choice would be. I will be taking the two chicks which appear to be little roos back to the auction next week, which will leave me the hen and 1 chick.

I think my options are: Take the chick away from the mom and put it in a brooder, so that she can blend in with the older chickens and then get a couple more chicks to raise with the lone chick....or leave her to finish raising the lone chick herself in a separate pen...or get a couple more chicks and put them in the pen with mom and baby. Would she raise the new babies with her own?

The only reason I am considering taking the chicks away from her is that I think she was a free ranging chicken and not handled much, if at all. She is being a typical mother hen too and being protective and excited everytime we get near her or the babies. I would like to get her more relaxed and spend time with her before putting her with the other chickens (after some quarantine time of course). I also would like the chance to handle the little pullet so she doesn't grow up acting like the hen.

Can anyone help with ideas on what they would do?

 

[Chickenaddict]

I wouldn't take the babies away. Judging by the size of the babies she will loose interest soon and go about her way. My dutch hen did just that after a month she started lightly pecking at them and taking off on them. She literally hid under the deck for a long time to teach them that they are on their own. when she does do this then i would put her babies in with your 11 week olds. Ginger my dutch hen still kind of hangs out by them but she does her own thing during the day with the rest of the flock in the yard. The babies are free ranged and have been since they were about a month old along with a small flock of brown/red cochins. There is a months age difference between the dutch babies and the brown/reds but they get along just fine. I think keeping mama and the lone baby in a seperate pen until mama hen shows the itch to get out then let her out and try putting the little one in with your other 11 week olds