When did you integrate chicks/mamas back with flock?

[Sloane Chickens]

Our babies are all 1-1.5weeks old today.
Their mamas and them are in a “henternity ward” but can still see the main flock. Wondering when you integrated your babies and mamas back with the flock?

 

[Debbie292d]

Normally, when hens hatch the eggs, they never leave the flock, so anytime is fine. She'll protect them. If you have any roosters, they'll sometimes help too.

If you feed an all-flock, that's great as they can all have that. If not, I'd replace the adult feeders with chick crumbles. That's almost the same as all-flock meaning good for all ages. Hens would need oyster shell in a separate dish though as both of those are higher protein, lower calcium.

It's fine for adult chickens to have chick crumbles, but not good for chicks to be eating layer feed, in case that's what you've got.

Good luck!

 

[BDutch]

I prefer to wait until the chicks are a week old. It’s easier for the mother hen and the chicks are a bit stronger after a week.
So now is a good time to open up. Look and see. It’s normal if a chick get a peck, not if she gets many pecks or blood is drawn. Put out several feeding stations with chick feed to avoid arguing.

 

[Sloane Chickens]

Normally, when hens hatch the eggs, they never leave the flock, so anytime is fine. She'll protect them. If you have any roosters, they'll sometimes help too.

If you feed an all-flock, that's great as they can all have that. If not, I'd replace the adult feeders with chick crumbles. That's almost the same as all-flock meaning good for all ages. Hens would need oyster shell in a separate dish though as both of those are higher protein, lower calcium.

It's fine for adult chickens to have chick crumbles, but not good for chicks to be eating layer feed, in case that's what you've got.

Good luck!

We separated our recent 3 Broodys after our first broody of the season hatched eggs in the main coop and none of the chicks survived the first night…. So we separated them and it’s been going ok. But wasn’t sure if it was “safe” yet or not!

We feed all flock pellets (as I always have different aged chickens), and extra calcium already

We also have no roosters! Just an all girl flock

 

[Sloane Chickens]

I prefer to wait until the chicks are a week old. It’s easier for the mother hen and the chicks are a bit stronger after a week.
So now is a good time to open up. Look and see. It’s normal if a chick get a peck, not if she gets many pecks or blood is drawn. Put out several feeding stations with chick feed to avoid arguing.

Amazing thank you! I might do it in a couple days when I’m able to just sit and watch them while all the human children are at school! Means if there’s issues I won’t miss it!

We have several feeding stations already, so this works great’

 

[Debbie292d]

We separated our recent 3 Broodys after our first broody of the season hatched eggs in the main coop and none of the chicks survived the first night…. So we separated them and it’s been going ok. But wasn’t sure if it was “safe” yet or not!

We feed all flock pellets (as I always have different aged chickens), and extra calcium already

We also have no roosters! Just an all girl flock

Oh, you had other broodies? Sometimes that works but sounds like it didn't that time. That's sad when they get homicidal. The poor mother must've been fighting like mad in there or just gave up.

 

[Sloane Chickens]

Oh, you had other broodies? Sometimes that works but sounds like it didn't that time. That's sad when they get homicidal. The poor mother must've been fighting like mad in there or just gave up.

So our first broody - unfortunately was a terrible mum. Regularly got off eggs, decided not to be on them for 2 days, then went back to them. We tried to give her day olds and she hated it, went off being broody for 4 days and then decided she wanted to be broody again, we gave her eggs to hatch. She hatched 2 and when I went in to check on them she was on the roost and they had passed. 5 weeks later we had another go broody, then a week after that a second went broody, and then a week after that a 3rd went broody. So I moved all 3 into a separate safe area (but could interact with the flock still) and gave them eggs and now they raise their babies together…

 

[BDutch]

Don’t blame yourself for things that went wrong. Most of us made mistakes not knowing the ins and outs of keeping chickens.

Most keepers, keep their chickens in confinement. Meaning unnatural circumstances. Some chickens have much space or free range. Most chickens live in small spaces, because their keepers can’t provide much space or think that’s okay. Chickens in confinement are often stressed. Nervous chickens often behave weird and can’t be trusted with chicks. Such a situation is difficult for broodies.

Lots of chickens only go by instinct because they were not raised within a flock. There are very different breeds and characters. Not all chickens are as easy going like most Silkies. This is why it can be important to watch what happens.

If you have a calm and established flock and chicks grew up with the care and upbringing of a mother they probably will be excellent mothers too.

More space and hiding places are always good to provide calmness. Keeping chickens is an ongoing learning process. Last hatch (2024) I added an extra coop bc of troubles when chicks/youngsters weren’t allowed to roost with the established flock and they got too big for the tiny coop where they hatched.

 

[Shadrach]

In a free range setting I've found mums will introduce her chicks to the tribe without any assistance when they consider the time is right. Some do it early, some leave it for weeks, but they all do it at some point.
In general I prefer to have the mum sit and hatch in the tribe coop. This can be done in just about any keeping circumstances. The chicks get to know who is in the tribe very early, as well as learning which tribe members are to be avoided.

 

[Sloane Chickens]

Don’t blame yourself for things that went wrong. Most of us made mistakes not knowing the ins and outs of keeping chickens.

Most keepers, keep their chickens in confinement. Meaning unnatural circumstances. Some chickens have much space or free range. Most chickens live in small spaces, because their keepers can’t provide much space or think that’s okay. Chickens in confinement are often stressed. Nervous chickens often behave weird and can’t be trusted with chicks. Such a situation is difficult for broodies.

Lots of chickens only go by instinct because they were not raised within a flock. There are very different breeds and characters. Not all chickens are as easy going like most Silkies. This is why it can be important to watch what happens.

If you have a calm and established flock and chicks grew up with the care and upbringing of a mother they probably will be excellent mothers too.

More space and hiding places are always good to provide calmness. Keeping chickens is an ongoing learning process. Last hatch (2024) I added an extra coop bc of troubles when chicks/youngsters weren’t allowed to roost with the established flock and they got too big for the tiny coop where they hatched.

Ours only have a coop at night (it to lay) otherwise free range
Our chicks and mamas are in a separate coop and an enclosed run. However lots of interaction between them and flock! Our head chicken is broody, so I’m probably more worried than I should be!