I have two baby chicks that were injured around the same time about 5 days ago. One sprained her leg and the other had some skin torn off under her wing in an accident with mom (not an attack!).
I have been keeping them separated and they are both well on the mend. I took them out today to see how the moms would react if I reintroduced them and it went really well. The moms kept trying to herd them back with the group.
Great! I thought I would wait a little longer and I could put them back in a few days… well the moms figured out where I had them and brought their other 4 chicks down to my patio door in a rainstorm and refused to leave. So now I have 2 hens and 6 chicks in my downstairs room (for about 45 mins while the rain stops), which is not an ideal situation.
So my question is - when is it safe to return a chick with a large skin wound or a slightly limping leg back to the flock if the mother hens are ok with it? (I have a photo, but I’m not quite sure how to add it)
I have been keeping them separated and they are both well on the mend. I took them out today to see how the moms would react if I reintroduced them and it went really well. The moms kept trying to herd them back with the group.
Great! I thought I would wait a little longer and I could put them back in a few days… well the moms figured out where I had them and brought their other 4 chicks down to my patio door in a rainstorm and refused to leave. So now I have 2 hens and 6 chicks in my downstairs room (for about 45 mins while the rain stops), which is not an ideal situation.
So my question is - when is it safe to return a chick with a large skin wound or a slightly limping leg back to the flock if the mother hens are ok with it? (I have a photo, but I’m not quite sure how to add it)
