new chick introduction

[dwatters]

so last year we had 6 hens and ended up having a couple of foxes get into the coop and took all but 1. shes been alone for about 9 months but we just recently picked up 5 chicks of about 3 weeks old. when its time for them to go to the coop how should that be handled with the adult hen?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry to hear of your losses. That's always disheartening.

Of course it depends on the temperament of that hen. If she is a broody type, you could probably put them in with her young...BUT that's a BIG IF.

Most hens in that situation will be lonely, but also dominant.

I don't like to put my incubated chicks into my established flock until they can fend more for themselves. That's at least 6 to 12 weeks of age depending on the make up of my flock.

But you just have the one hen, so I think you can likely err to younger than older. I would wait until they are fully feathered and hardened to your environment. Place them all together. Make sure they have plenty of hiding spaces if the hen decides to haze them.

If you think she might haze a lot, wait for them to be about 8 to 10 weeks of age where they are teens rather than small fry.

Good Luck.
LofMc

 

[Mrs. K]

I would put them in soon, adding more birds to a single is very different then adding a single bird to 5.

But I would set up an area in the run, that the chicks can escape too, the sooner you do this, the bigger the difference in size, which makes the one way gate more effective. I have used lattice panels, 3 week chicks could run through like water. I have also put fencing up 5-6 inches off the ground.

You put the chicks in the safe zone, and wait, eventually they will come out. You give a mock chase, so they scurry back to safety. And that is it. This way they all work out the relationship on their terms. If the old biddy gets too crabby, they escape. With that many, she can't chase all of them. Chasing is tiring work. A week and you can probably take down the barrier.

Do make sure that there are multiple ways to get into the safe zone.

Mrs K