I am sure this question has been asked before but I can's seem to find it on any other threads... Anyway, a friend I know has recently hatched silkie chicks and she separates her mother and chicks in a very small box on the other side of the garden, away from her rooster and two other hens. I was curious if this is what I should do with my small flock. I have a large chicken pen with a medium sized run, and I free range the hens at least twice a day. I do not have a rooster, so would I have to separate my chicks? (I also have a mean bantam hen who loves pecking the other hens) Thank you
Usually I would separate them from the rest of the flock, but only until they get strong enough to keep up with the mother hen and defend themselves. I suggest keeping them in a small area for a week or so. I hope it helps!
I keep them in the flock when at all possible. Separating just causes issues when you re-introduce later. Roosters, in my experience, have never been a problem for new chicks and I'd cull any rooster that attacked littles. Older hens will happily teach chicks flock manners once they're a few weeks old, but as newly hatched chicks momma is so hormonal no one wants to mess with her or her babies. My bantam cochins who are usually near the bottom of the flock order stand off the grumpy older hens when they're brooding chicks, and older hens are glad to give them a wide berth. Plenty of space is the key, if chicks get separated from momma they need to be able to run away from older hens until they can get back to the protection of momma. Hiding places are great, also.
I always leave new mom and chicks with the flock if I can, it makes integration much easier if mom does it for you. The only problem I've ever had is with a bantam sl cochin who sets up about a 4 foot barrier for the first few days that nobody gets to cross. She was in a coop with a rooster and about a dozen adult hens and wouldn't let them eat so I had to move the food till she calmed down. It was kind of funny watching a 2 lb cochin chasing off the 8 lb rooster.
I had to separate my little Japanese Bantam and her chick from the flock briefly as my Old English Game Bantam hen relentlessly tried to peck at the chick. After a few weeks, they were placed back in together and all was well.