When to introduce mama hen and chicks to flock

[cbourbeau32]

As of tomorrow my baby chicks will be two weeks old and are doing great. We had 7 of 9 eggs hatch and all 7 are doing well and it has been really fun watching the mama chicken take care of the little ones. How long should I wait before introducing them to the flock (I have four other chickens a rooster and three hens)? Also should I start letting them free range with our chickens (let out in early morning and put up just before sundown) we have lots (did I mention lots) of cats in the area?

Thanks for any advice!

Charlie

 

[love anis]

you sholdent let them out to late couse the hens will fight with them i let my chicks start roning free range at 1 in a half weeks

 

[love anis]

and you should also keep a eye on them becouse of the cats but the adults will probaly be portective

 

[WthrLady]

At a week old, I moved my hen and her chicks to a grow out area in the main coop. It was blocked off from the other birds and had its own food and water.

After two days of them staying in there, I opened the gate and allowed them out,.....supervised

After a week of that I removed the gate. The others would go in and visit, but mom was so mean they didn't stay.

After a week of that... all the walls came down.

At three weeks old they would all sleep under mom, in the pine shavings under the poop board.

By 4 weeks, mom had had enough of the floor and moved back to the roost. Two days of sleeping on the floor without mom, and the chicks figured out how to get up on the roost. Then they would sleep ON mom on the roost.

Occasionally the older girls remind the babies whose boss. Then mom reminds them that she's the boss of her own kids!

 

[Briza]

At a week old, I moved my hen and her chicks to a grow out area in the main coop. It was blocked off from the other birds and had its own food and water.

After two days of them staying in there, I opened the gate and allowed them out,.....supervised

After a week of that I removed the gate. The others would go in and visit, but mom was so mean they didn't stay.

After a week of that... all the walls came down.

At three weeks old they would all sleep under mom, in the pine shavings under the poop board.

By 4 weeks, mom had had enough of the floor and moved back to the roost. Two days of sleeping on the floor without mom, and the chicks figured out how to get up on the roost. Then they would sleep ON mom on the roost.

Occasionally the older girls remind the babies whose boss. Then mom reminds them that she's the boss of her own kids!

Oh my, that's hilarious. I hope that if I ever let a broody hatch chicks, they're as funny as yours.

I'll definitely be trying your technique for introduction if I do. It sounds like a successful strategy.

 

[WthrLady]

Oh dear lord, they were a riot. All she wanted to do was sit down and settle on the perch, but one was between her legs, one under each wing, and two on her back. She looked like a woman in desperate need of a spa day!

 

[WthrLady]

THink of it like introducing any new member to the flock. Let them get to know each other where every one is safely protected, then introduce slowly under supervision... and then go for it.All of my birds are nuts. They don't have loose screws. The screws are missing altogether. Yes, that's a cockerel hatching a play ball.

 

[WthrLady]

Here's a photo of the day I took the gate down. Momma is the grey one, puffing up to shield the chicks. The gated area is a space the shape of an "L" under my poop board. 22 square feet of maternity preschool space.
If you look closely, you can see my giant lavender orp with her face in the baby's food dish. Always eating, that one is.
THat black hen is my witch, alpha female. Man she could get mean. The rooster has since put her in her place and she's a bit mellow.

 

[WthrLady]

I no longer have the broody space or the poop board in there. It was too hard to clean and the poop board insufficient for the number of hens. It took up space that i preferred for roosts.

Integration of moms and chicms is still the same , but not held in the main coop.

 

[t3wine]

I'm in the same situation I started letting Moma and chicks integrate today by opening her gate. Chicks are eating adult food and hens are eating the babies food. Do I need to worry? I also have a large open top water pan (old roaster) do I need to worry about chicks failing in? Thanks for the help!