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[Perris]

The broody hen took her chicks out of the main coop after hatching. I may add that at that time we didn't know that she would successfully hatch any chicks because she sat on eggs from the beginning of May (while my MIL was still alive and dealing with it). In the meantime we had only one laying hen and 2 roosters so we ordered more hens. In the meantime mama hen takes over a small coop and run that we had gotten ready for the anticipated new hens. She stayed with the chicks for about 4 weeks, leading them out to free range during the day and bringing them back to their run at night. She ditched them a few weeks back and they return to their little coop at night but well after the big guys have gone to roost. They would like to join the big ones but I'm not sure about that.

Meanwhile the hens we ordered have arrived and I'm trying to get them acclimated. Whew! This is a lot of work.

Wow - you had a baptism by fire didn't you!?! well done for coping so well with a convoluted arrangement not of your doing! Have you considered selling on some of the extra new birds as an alternative to expanding the coop(s)?

 

[New2Chicks97]

It sounds like not only are you coping with your MIL’s passing but also her chicken situation. That is a lot to take on in one go!

Maybe getting the chicks to live with their mom in the big coop so you can move the new pullets into the small coop could work for now? At least then you would only be juggling 2 coops. Sometimes the space we have to work with isn’t always ideal but we can make it work. I am sure that in the end it will all work out for you

 

[Mary M.]

Wow - you had a baptism by fire didn't you!?! well done for coping so well with a convoluted arrangement not of your doing! Have you considered selling on some of the extra new birds as an alternative to expanding the coop(s)?

I'll have to see about that. Maybe a neighbor would want some. I need to replace the coop because it is very difficult to deal with.

 

[Mary M.]

It sounds like not only are you coping with your MIL’s passing but also her chicken situation. That is a lot to take on in one go!

Maybe getting the chicks to live with their mom in the big coop so you can move the new pullets into the small coop could work for now? At least then you would only be juggling 2 coops. Sometimes the space we have to work with isn’t always ideal but we can make it work. I am sure that in the end it will all work out for you

Thanks! I needed a bit of encouragement!