- Jul 10, 2008
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We have 3 bantam chicks that are about a week old. We let the hen sit on the eggs and raise them so far. They're in a separate cage (3'x2'x1.5') within the coop to keep them safe and give them a little privacy. The only thing is, the cage is not big enough to keep them all in until the chicks are big enough to introduce to the rest. We have 3 guineas that we just don't trust with small chicks.
Anyway, so at some point we will probably have to remove the mother hen to allow for more space. I tried to put her in the run to stretch her legs yesterday, but she went right back to the cage, wanting back in. So when we do separate them, we'll probably have to remove the chicks from the coop so that the hen doesn't go crazy. Does it make any difference if we separate them now or in a week or two?
This is our first hatching, so we're new to all of this. Is there any harm in keeping the hen with them - she can move around just fine and all, but doesn't get much "exercise."
Anyway, so at some point we will probably have to remove the mother hen to allow for more space. I tried to put her in the run to stretch her legs yesterday, but she went right back to the cage, wanting back in. So when we do separate them, we'll probably have to remove the chicks from the coop so that the hen doesn't go crazy. Does it make any difference if we separate them now or in a week or two?
This is our first hatching, so we're new to all of this. Is there any harm in keeping the hen with them - she can move around just fine and all, but doesn't get much "exercise."