Removing Mama Hen from babies.

[Jstaz]

In the coop to the left of the photo, I have eight week old babies along with mama. When they start laying, I plan on integrating them with my existing flock. My question is at what point do I remove mama from the babies because mama is from my in-laws flock as she was broody and hatched our 12 babies.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

You can remove her now, and I would start integration now

 

[Saveria]

If you let them all integrate, you will notice her kind of "releasing" them. Does she still cluck at them like in the beginning? I think my broody hen stopped caring for her chicks around 4 weeks if I remember correctly. I remember thinking it was a bit early.

 

[Jstaz]

She does not seem to be clucking as she was at the chicks. But does snuggle with them still at night though they all are so big they cant all fit under her haha. She tries though.

 

[Jstaz]

You can remove her now, and I would start integration now

How would you deal with the differing feed issue? Chick getting starter/grower and the other laying hens getting layer feed. Does it really matter much if the chicks get the extra calcium? Cost wise it would be the same $17/50lbs whether the 22% layer or the 18% starter.

To add, I have two roosters in the existing flock and I am not sure if that would make much difference with the chicks and integration much. Other than the roosters getting on the chick doing their thing ASAP haha. They are relentless. The other flock has been around them since birth separated by the wire you see in the photo. So they should be comfortable with them for the most part already.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

How would you deal with the differing feed issue? Chick getting starter/grower and the other laying hens getting layer feed. Does it really matter much if the chicks get the extra calcium? Cost wise it would be the same $17/50lbs whether the 22% layer or the 18% starter.

To add, I have two roosters in the existing flock and I am not sure if that would make much difference with the chicks and integration much. Other than the roosters getting on the chick doing their thing ASAP haha. They are relentless. The other flock has been around them since birth separated by the wire you see in the photo. So they should be comfortable with them for the most part already.

I feed a 20% all flock with free choice oyster shell on the side in a separate dish, that way I'm never food juggling (and IMO a higher protein feed is better) A mature rooster should have no interest in mating 8 week old pullets, and if they do I'd personally get rid of them. I have 2- 13 week olds and 2-2 day olds in my flock now and the most my rooster does is tidbit for them.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

We have never segregated Broodys from the flock. There was always a natural separation and integration to the flock.