Now What..... With Momma Hen and One baby?

[LesGan]

One 10 X 10 chicken house with one chicken door, one large 20 X 30 elec fenced yard, 2 other hens, one rooster. I am keeping momma and baby (1 week old) separted in large dog cage within chix house. I spend about 2 hours each morning and evening letting momma and baby out into yard but keeping other hens and roo closed up, and then momma and baby back in cage in chix house for day while others out in yard while I am at work. This is wearing on me, and also on momma hen being closed up all day while I am away. Any suggestions for how to manage these 3 hens, roo and baby? From what I read I need to keep baby separated for quite awhile. What about momma.....I feel so sorry for her being confined. Suggestions please for first time chicken grandma. Thanks, Leslie

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I have 2 different chicks in with my giant cochins and their mommas. They were born 3 weeks apart. I never separated them from the flock. The other hens and the rooster are fine with them. In fact little Izzy is a escape artist. Every time you turn around she is in one of the other pens. So far no one has bothered her. We have put up extra barriers to keep her in, but every once in awhile she escapes. I have even seen her 50-60 feet from the pen and the other freeranging chickens don't bother her either. Try leaving Momma and her baby out with the others. Watch them to see if anyone bothers the chick. If Momma feels someone is after her chick she will protect it. JMHO

 

[LesGan]

Thanks Sugar Sand Farm. I am headed to chix right now to see what they all do together. Leslie

 

[LesGan]

We all had a great day thanks to you Sugar Sand Farm Chicken People. I so appreciate your giving me the confidence to let all the chickens be together. When I arrived home at 6:45 momma and baby had already put themselves to bed in the chix house in their cage with door open. The others were on the way to their roosts. My arrangement worked beautifully and there are "safe places" for the baby in house and yard....actually those are for me so that I don't worry. Thanks again....I love this forum, Leonardo and His Girls, baby chick Marley.....and me.

 

[notapandabear13]

Thats great to hear! I think you need more babies now...

 

[erinm]

I have always let mine out with the whole flock. Momma does her job to protect them most often. I had one who did not but I just went back to keeping them islated a little longer and everything was fien. ErinM