We are newbies and I need chick help!!

[BamburghFarms]

Two Questions from a chicken newbie:

- I’m in Ohio, I have six 6 week old chicks inside and want them to go outside when they can but obviously it’s getting cold at night some nights right now here... lower than 20 is normal for this time of year... when can they safely go in with the main flock?

- Will a hen that isn’t laying yet (so not broody), adopt chicks? The hen has a pecked eye so she isn’t 100% herself at the moment and is getting separate TLC and we wondered if they could be in with her?

I was wondering if we could introduce the injured hen to the chicks and maybe she would adopt them and we could “introduce” them back into the main flock together in a couple of weeks? Thoughts? Opinions? Expertise appreciated!!

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

You are going to get a whole lot of advice on this one. There are some basic rules about acclimating chick's to temperatures and introducing new members to the flock, especially if they were brought in from outside (you purchased them from somewhere), in order not to infect your birds with any diseases, etc. Let me see if I can find some related threads for you.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/question-about-adding-chicks-to-a-flock.1283122/

 

[Melky]

Here is a link regarding some things to follow when adding to your flock. First recognize 30 day quarantine to rule out health conditions in new members. Then put in closed system or same system with fencing between. Look no touch method. Then if doing ok and about same size consider integration.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[aurajean515]

Two Questions from a chicken newbie:

- I’m in Ohio, I have six 6 week old chicks inside and want them to go outside when they can but obviously it’s getting cold at night some nights right now here... lower than 20 is normal for this time of year... when can they safely go in with the main flock?

- Will a hen that isn’t laying yet (so not broody), adopt chicks? The hen has a pecked eye so she isn’t 100% herself at the moment and is getting separate TLC and we wondered if they could be in with her?

I was wondering if we could introduce the injured hen to the chicks and maybe she would adopt them and we could “introduce” them back into the main flock together in a couple of weeks? Thoughts? Opinions? Expertise appreciated!!

Any hen that isn’t broody at the time will not adopt chicks

 

[rosemarythyme]

The hen won't adopt the chicks and frankly the chicks are way too old to take a "mom" - they'd likely be weaned by that age if they had been raised by a hen. The above articles should have some good info on how to safely integrate.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I incubated and hatched the first set of eggs myself and raised them to about 2 weeks old, the second set of eggs the same mother set on hatched and she reared those..... I tried to introduced the ones I reared myself to her and she didn't care for them except the ones she hatched herself. So, even IF they are broody, there's still chances she won't rear the little ones....... even if it's hers.

 

[BamburghFarms]

Thanks everyone! We appreciate the help so much!