Question on mother hen and chicks

[jade0206]

I have a red sex link chicken that had 5 chicks they are in a pen by them self inside my chicken coop. The chicks are 7 weeks old and the mother still wants to be in there with them, I have a roost they are not roosting still laying at night under and around her. Last night I pulled the mother out put her on the roost with the other chickens I watch so after I did that she went to the outside where the chicks were, this morning she was still there. My question is do I keep her in there? or leave her out? or do I let the chicks out with here to? I have 8 sex link chickens 1 rooster and 10 other different breed chickens. I think they are to small and the other chickens will beat up on them. thanks for any advice.

 

[sumi]

Let the chicks mingle with the rest of your flock now, while they are still under their mom's protection. A good broody will not let the rest of the flock mess with her chicks. She will protect them from getting bullied and the flock will accept them more readily if they come with their mom, who is already part of the group.

 

[SusanVT]

I agree -- do it right away! I'm impressed your mama hen wants to keep mothering that long. Mine give up at 5 or 6 weeks. I've done it both ways, integrated from the very beginning or isolated and then combined gradually, first in the run/yard and later in the big chicken house. It's simpler in the long run to just keep the mother hen with the flock.

 

[donrae]

What they said. I try to let the momma raise the chicks in the flock whenever possible, that way they just grow up as part of it and you don't have problems later. I'd just put them all in. Let momma decide when she's done mothering, and let the babies decide when they're big enough to use a roost. Make sure you have plenty of space, and some things for the babies to hide behind, and let momma handle the introductions.

 

[jade0206]

Thanks for all the help I will give it a try this weekend