once the eggs hatch can the hen and chicks rejoin the flock?

[willkatdawson]

I have a hen that is 11 days into sitting on 4 eggs. She is in the fenced closet inside the coop. She is locked in there and I let her out 3x a day. After the chicks hatch can I let her and the chicks out of the closet. Will the other hens attack the chicks? Will the hen stay on the floor with her chicks at nite if I move her box nest out of the closet into the floor of the coop. Thanks

 

[TexasVet]

I usually separate the hen and chicks from the rest of the flock for a couple of days; time enough for the chicks to become fast on their feet.

As a rule, and rules are made to be broken, I can then put them back in with the rest of the flock without much fuss. At first the chicks will wander, but as soon as a bigger bird pecks them they high-tail it back to momma. Momma then flies into the attacker. From that point forward, everybody pretty much stays on their own turf.

Kathy in Texas

 

[Ridgerunner]

As Khayward said, it is usually no problem to just turn the hen loose with ther chicks in the coop and run. You do need to be observant for the first day or so to see if a problem develops. This is a case of the more room the better. Problems are less likely if there is room for the chicks to stay out of trouble, but it depends on the dynamics of the flock and the personalities of the chickens.

You do not have to put a nest out for mama. She will find a place to keep her chicks under her all night, probably on the floor of the coop. You can put a nest out and see if mama wants to use it, but as long as your coop is dry, they'll be fine.

 

[KPort Chick]

My hen just hatched baby #1 and #2 today with 8 more to go. I was at a lost as well. I did find a little dog crate that fits into my enclosed coop so I tucked it in there and locked up the mom and babies. At least until all the eggs hatch. The other hens were acting stressed and I wondered if they might hurt the babies. Don't know if that is right or not, but I feel better knowing they are safe.

 

[cmom]

A friend and neighbor had some problems with his other birds so he made a small coop with run for momma and her babies. When the babies were around 6 weeks old he opened their run to his fenced in chicken yard. Momma and babies really didn't venture out of their run.