When can I let mom and chicks out into general pop...

[Karen Glatz]

I wanted to start some new chicks this fall and luckily my Cochin hen went broody just in time. She sat on fake eggs for a few weeks and then I took the eggs and gave her 8 2 day chicks. After an hour of wondering what was going on, she accepted the challenge and has been a great mom. I'm keeping them in a small coop that is divided off from the chicken yard with 1 by wire fencing. All the other hens and rooster know they are there and don't seem bothered, but mom and chicks only have about 10 sq feet and the coop. Chicks are just over 2 weeks. I want to let them loose in the yard. I've heard that mom will protect them from other chickens, but I'm worried that chicks will scoot under the chain link fence into the dog yard or into the ally and mom won't be able to follow. They do listen to her. Should I let them out of their confinement?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Yes. You want them out with mom while they're still following her around and not seen as much of a threat by other flock members. She should protect them and integrate them into the flock herself. If not, you'll need to intervene and potentially do a traditional integration. Chick-proof the enclosure if you need to.

Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes, ours go out with mom at about Day 3 and do great. I would highly recommend you do something to keep the chicks from getting into the dog yard, though. Doesn't have to be hardware cloth. We use a green plastic fencing that looks like chicken wire but with smaller holes. It's about 3' high and a 25' roll was not horribly expensive. We just used zip ties to hold it to the existing fence.