Well I did it!!

[marie_martin]

I let my mama broody and her week old chicks out into the run with the other chickens this morning. I had been keeping them in an outside brooder but was told by everyone here that I should just let them be with the others and that mama will protect them. So I put them out there this morning. There was a little pecking on heads by the other pullets but mama pretty quickly stopped that. So I hope everything will be ok. I am a nervous wreck!!!! Will be anxious until I get home from work. I sure hope they are ok.

Marie

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

They should be good. If mama protected them when you brought them out then they will be fine

 

[marie_martin]

They are just so small and then there are the roos in there. I just want them to be safe. And this particular mama is a very docile girl to begin with. But I will trust nature and see how it goes. I feel like I just dropped my child and college and left. Gosh this is hard. Only you guys will understand.

Marie

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I know how you feel. I am loosing my buff orp babies this weekend and next week. A lady who took my silkie last month is taking 3 buff orp girls and a guy is comming over next week for my 2 silkie roos and 3 buff orp boys. they are so adorable and cute. I dont want to give them up. The guy has 900 acres and 2 german shephards are protecting the farm land

 

[marie_martin]

It is sad to see them go isn't it. That is the hardest part of raising and selling animals. I raise nigerian dwarf goats and sometimes we sell some and it is so hard. I mean I am up there taking care of them and loving on them until they are ready to go to the new home (10 weeks or so) and it is hard when they leave. But I am very careful about who I sell to. I would not sell to someone I did not trust to love them the same way I do. Same goes for the chickens. I am even newer to chickens so I have not sold many yet. Will be an experience.

Marie

 

[Kaneke]

just to chime in here --

my chickens all free range (all but 2 are essentially wild) and the mama-hens do an astounding job of protecting the chicks ... amazing to see a tiny banty chasing a cat twice as big as she is ... or chasing off a standard rooster who may be three times her size !

actually the roo also protects the chicks to a certain extent, when another hen gets close to "mama", he fluffs up at her and redirects her, off to the side ...

the mamas certainly don't let the other hens get anywhere near the chicks until they are nearly grown -- at the point where they stop peeping all the time

Candy