I came home today to find I am down one 2 wk old hatchling and another wounded, wing and leg. They, their mamma, my year olds and my teens are all loose while I work, so I'm not sure what happened, but clearly it was something - either a preditor or an aggressive hen/roo. That said, can I take the mamma and put her back with the adult flock and just keep the chicks separate until I can rehome some of them? I could do it at night while they are "resting". Thanks for your help. MJ
If the chicks don't have enough room and hiding spots, they will get squished. You can remove the chicks at any time of day, after a few days, they will all calm back down. A bigger bird prolly stepped or jumped down onto it by accident. Momma can't watch all the chicks all the time and keep them all from any other bird larger than them, it's just too much. I too have chicks of all ages together with juvies and adults, roos and hens. Once my chicks are 4wks or so they go out to the coop. Into the separate pen for another week, then out free with everyone else. But only when I have several chicks, I would never leave a lone chick or 4 with big birds.
My broodies raise their chicks in with the flock, about 6 of them now, and I haven't had this problem. I would not take the chicks away from their mama. You will have one unhappy mama hen if you do. I would separate mama and her chicks, but I would let mama decide when she does not want to be a mama any more. I was just reading about someone who did this and had a mama hen who was very upset, did not eat well, searched for her chicks for weeks.
My broody only hatched one chick, and it also was injured. It was only a week old and got a big gash on it's chest. Some of the adult hens were aggressive towards it, although I never saw who did the damage. I separated off a section of my coop and run (not always practical, I realize), and the hen is raising her chick there. The chick is almost 5 weeks now, and I'm hoping that soon I can put it with other chicks I am growing out.
