today I was busily digging a very large trench for the pathway to my garden, I'm going to put down gravel and some pavers so it's easy to trundle the wheelbarrow back and forth. Let me tell you, digging is MUCH harder with chickens in the trench looking for worms under your shovel. Like "Hey, I know that you only have that shovel so you can turn over a clod and I can look for worms right?" I kept having to shove people out with the shovel, and then they were so offended. lol. I threw a bunch of worms into the fenced area with the littler guys, which was pretty funny too, they were like baseball outfielders: all lined up at the fence, they'd see me throw, run back and forth under it, then all JUMP when they saw it land. Hilarious. I pulled all the dandelions out of the sod that I pulled up (turned the sod upside down and used it to fill the low spot in my garden. I'll have to put some cardboard over it though.) I threw some into the two brooders, but still had a lot left over, so I washed it (which was probably uneccesary, considering how much dirt chickens eat, but hey) chopped it pretty fine, roots and all, and stirred it into my ferment bucket. That stuff is just packed full of vitamins and minerals, truly a superfood. I figure it's especially beneficial for the chicks that are still inside. I bring them sod squares, but they don't get to really forage for beneficial herbs like the big kids outside. We'll see if they eat it or pick around it.
an integration question for you more experienced folks. Right now I have my 7-9 week olds free ranging in a smaller fenced area during the day, and sleeping in a dog crate with a roost next to the big roost at night. When can I integrate them? Right now I'd be afraid that my adult hens would seriously injure them. I could put some slats over the front of the dog crate so they could get in but the big kids couldn't, but how long would they need that for? I had the 9 week old out with the big girls, but any time she picked up anything off the ground one of the big girls would fly over and peck her. She was spending all her time hiding in the hen house. So I threw her in with the younger guys during the day, but she still roosts with the big kids at night. who knew it could be so complicated?
an integration question for you more experienced folks. Right now I have my 7-9 week olds free ranging in a smaller fenced area during the day, and sleeping in a dog crate with a roost next to the big roost at night. When can I integrate them? Right now I'd be afraid that my adult hens would seriously injure them. I could put some slats over the front of the dog crate so they could get in but the big kids couldn't, but how long would they need that for? I had the 9 week old out with the big girls, but any time she picked up anything off the ground one of the big girls would fly over and peck her. She was spending all her time hiding in the hen house. So I threw her in with the younger guys during the day, but she still roosts with the big kids at night. who knew it could be so complicated?
If I had a question...didn't matter if I thought it was silly or not, I posted it and got answers & support from some very lovely people...many of them are on this thread as well. I didn't separate her from the rest of the flock mostly because no one was bothering her. February 1st--She hatched 4 of the 6 borrowed eggs...raised them right in the coop with everyone else including my roo. When the chicks were first born, I did coral them with a few bales of hay and a cardboard box so they would learn where their food & water was. When they started hopping over the hay bales, I gave up and let them have free range of the coop. My roo was & still is very protective of his brood....would let them eat from his beak. 
He points out food for them and stands guard while they eat. He does not like anyone to pick them up. We can pick up the older girls but not the "kids"! Everyone in my area told me "You can't keep those chicks in the coop...the roo will kill them." "Those chicks need to be at 95 degrees for the first week yada...yada...yada..." I did provide a heat lamp but it was not 95 degrees on the floor of the coop...in February...in Maine. Momma did a good job of keeping them warm and protected. I did spend a lot of time in the coop watching how the older girls reacted to the chicks but between Momma & Papa Roo, they were well protected. Hope this helps!
