Please help. Hen went broody. Chaos ensued.

[Mrs. K]

That would be fine. She generally won't go far, and she will call them to come get under her to get a warm up and a nap. Think of the exercise, climbing over sticks and grass, scratching, just the space to run. Those chicks have to be stronger and healthier than chicks kept in a 2 x 4 foot brooder to keep them safe and warm.

Is there a chance you will loose one, yes. But generally by day 2, they are ready to go. I just let my broody hen do what she wants. She knows a lot more about being a chicken and raising chicks than I do.

I used to go to incredible lengths to keep them separated, to protect them... and found it was a waste of time. She did it her own way anyway, and that way worked for the most part.

Mrs K

 

[Anon112]

Can someone give me an idea, when it will be reasonably safe to let Ma take the kids out of the run to forage? Pretty sure if I open the gate right now, they would be out like a shot with the rest of the flock.

Let them out!

I found that foraging time was a great way for the chicks to socialize with the rest of the flock, and a good way to see if there were any aggressive behaviors toward the chicks. Mom hens make sure they stay close and run inside if there is a threat.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Well, I gave it a shot yesterday afternoon. Opened the door, Mom shot out with the rest of the flock, with one chick who was with her tagging along. The flock zipped of to their favorite spot at the creek and Mom stayed right near the run door. The other five chicks then had no idea how to get to where Mom was. I managed to herd one chick out the door and it joined Mom. I then just watched over them, leaving the rest (thank goodness). About half an hour to sunset, Mom scuttled in the door, went to the nest calling the chicks to join her. The four inside did and the two outside went up and down the mesh, not knowing how to get into the secure run. Fortunately I was able to catch them and put them inside.

I think I need to put little cuffs on all their ankles and set them up like a chain gang.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

So, here is my latest update.
On Monday, my six little ones made three weeks.Fluff balls have grown wing feathers and figured out that that if they run and flap those things, they now actually work. Mom got them all to finally join her in the great outdoors, in the bushy spot next to the run and today started getting them out on open ground.All in all, aside from the getting in an out of the run with them, Mom has been a star. Little ones have pretty much figured out the door, so herding them back in after their run outside has become easy.

A man I know wants to start doing chickens at home and will take whatever he can get apparently. Please hold thumbs that they all don't turn out to be roos.

Also, is there a specific number of weeks before Mom tells them all to go their own way and returns to the roost at night? (I live in Argentina, no way they are cold at night without her now).

 

[NatJ]

Also, is there a specific number of weeks before Mom tells them all to go their own way and returns to the roost at night? (I live in Argentina, no way they are cold at night without her now).

It seems to depend on the hen. Range is anywhere from 3 weeks or maybe less, up to many months.

Yes, if you want to separate the chicks and move them on to a new home, you can do it when they have enough feathers to stay warm in the weather you are having. (Or earlier, if the new owner provides a heat source, but it sounds like that does not apply in your current situation.)

A man I know wants to start doing chickens at home and will take whatever he can get apparently. Please hold thumbs that they all don't turn out to be roos.

I looked back through the thread and found a picture of your rooster:

A pic of Dad to go with. No clue what breed he is.

If he is the only possible father, then every chick with white barring is a male. I think I see three of them (light dot on top of their head when they hatched, growing wing feathers that are black with white bars across them.)

What color are your other hens? If all hens have white barring like Spindly who is raising the chicks, then any chick without barring is a female. But if you have hens of other colors, they may have produced some male chicks with no barring.

The reason this works:
A barred hen with a non-barred rooster is a cross that produces sexlink chicks. Sons are barred like their mother, daughters are not-barred like their father.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

It seems to depend on the hen. Range is anywhere from 3 weeks or maybe less, up to many months.

Yes, if you want to separate the chicks and move them on to a new home, you can do it when they have enough feathers to stay warm in the weather you are having. (Or earlier, if the new owner provides a heat source, but it sounds like that does not apply in your current situation.)



I looked back through the thread and found a picture of your rooster:


If he is the only possible father, then every chick with white barring is a male. I think I see three of them (light dot on top of their head when they hatched, growing wing feathers that are black with white bars across them.)

What color are your other hens? If all hens have white barring like Spindly who is raising the chicks, then any chick without barring is a female. But if you have hens of other colors, they may have produced some male chicks with no barring.

The reason this works:
A barred hen with a non-barred rooster is a cross that produces sexlink chicks. Sons are barred like their mother, daughters are not-barred like their father.

All my hens are the same as Spindly. With the exception of Goofy, who is exactly the same breed and possibly brood, as Galoot (the Dad). When the hatch had happened, I identified at least one egg, possibly two, among the debris, that were laid by Goofy. (her eggs have a darker color). I did notice that the ones who have black beaks, do not seem to have any baby comb.

Soon, I will try to get pics of all the little ones and hopefully folks can help me be sure about what they are.

For now I am just enjoying their progress.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Well, on Monday we made it to four weeks from hatch.Little ones are doing great. Seem in perfect health and quite rambunctious. Hopefully they will mostly go to a new home soon.