when to separate broody hen and her chicks

[cptbahama]

Well, some of you said to wait a certain amount of weeks and some of you said put her and the chicks in there with the flock right away. That was the easiest thing to do so we put them in there yesterday afternoon. The chicks were 4 and 6 days old. We were amazed at how wonderfully they integrated. It didn't take long at all for the other chickens to realize that going near her chicks was a very bad idea. They really gave her her space and we watched them roam around the yard together. It was a delightful sight. My biggest concern was how the hen was going to get the chicks back up into the coop. We left them alone for a while and when it was time to close them up for the night, all the chicks and Mrs. Hen were up in the coop. I still don't know how she got them up that board. Here are some pics

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Well, some of you said to wait a certain amount of weeks and some of you said put her and the chicks in there with the flock right away. That was the easiest thing to do so we put them in there yesterday afternoon. The chicks were 4 and 6 days old. We were amazed at how wonderfully they integrated. It didn't take long at all for the other chickens to realize that going near her chicks was a very bad idea. They really gave her her space and we watched them roam around the yard together. It was a delightful sight. My biggest concern was how the hen was going to get the chicks back up into the coop. We left them alone for a while and when it was time to close them up for the night, all the chicks and Mrs. Hen were up in the coop. I still don't know how she got them up that board. Here are some pics

Isn't Mother Nature wonderful?

I think with animal behavior, we humans always feel like we need to step in and control things, when really Mother Nature has things under control the whole time, and can do it better than we do.

Also, you have a BLRW, which in my experience have been WONDERFUL mothers. Very aggressive in protecting their babies. I've never had a rooster die to protect a hen, but I lost my last BLRW to an owl that had broken through the wire into the pen to get some chicks as a snack. We lost the hen, but not a single chick.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Ok, so I had a broody hen and I gave her two chicks to raise. At about four weeks I introduced her back t the flock and everyone has ben picking on her.It's been four weeks since i put her back with my flock including one rooster, the hens no longer pick on her, but my rooster mates with her ALL the time and has pulled all the feathers from the back of her head nd she still sleeps on a separate roost from the rest. Now I will need to introduce the chicks to the flock, but I'm scared they will b hurt. How old should they be? Sould I remove my rooster first? AARRGGHH! Help!

Your hen was reintroduced to the flock too late. She didn't have the mama hormones to help her be aggressive enough to be at the top of the flock, so when she was reintroduced she was at the bottom of the pecking order and the other hens let her know it. Your rooster's behavior has nothing to do with her being broody--he just really likes mating with her and is rough about it.

Your chicks are basically the same as motherless chicks in a brooder at this point since they weren't introduced with the hen. I would wait until they were physically an adult size before introducing them--around 18 weeks. Then they'll be big enough to withstand the pecking that all new birds receive. If the chicks are female, the rooster will leave them alone except to mate with them when they're older. To him, they are just new hens in his flock. He might peck them and teach them that he's the boss, but after that he'll treat them like the other flock members. There's no need to remove him.

 

[Fentress]

I did this for the first time this year. Two broody's hatched in pens in the coop with the rest of the flock. After 2 days I let them out of the pen. neither mama could stand up to the dominate hen, who made a point of asserting herself and reminding everyone who was dominate. Most of her aggression was focused at the broody hens, but she pecked a chick or two as well. I almost culled her. But, after a few days it was over with. I guess she was doing what dominate hens do. In terms of feed, the creeper feeder worked well. then after a 3 weeks, when the chicks could get up and eat out of the adult feeder, I still kept the creeper feeder, but took the adults off of layer and gave oyster shelll on the side. Just did this and I am anxious if it works out OK. I hope they eat the shell.

Actually, could anyone help with this. Do the hens always eat the oyster shell? Do they know/feel that they are running short on calcium and then prompted to eat it?

Mark

 

[The chick man]

I have a broody hen but she is a free runner. so i want to take the chicks away cuz i want the chicks to be used to a coop. what would be the best time?? i was thinking like 3 days old.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I did this for the first time this year. Two broody's hatched in pens in the coop with the rest of the flock. After 2 days I let them out of the pen. neither mama could stand up to the dominate hen, who made a point of asserting herself and reminding everyone who was dominate. Most of her aggression was focused at the broody hens, but she pecked a chick or two as well. I almost culled her. But, after a few days it was over with. I guess she was doing what dominate hens do. In terms of feed, the creeper feeder worked well. then after a 3 weeks, when the chicks could get up and eat out of the adult feeder, I still kept the creeper feeder, but took the adults off of layer and gave oyster shelll on the side. Just did this and I am anxious if it works out OK. I hope they eat the shell.

Actually, could anyone help with this. Do the hens always eat the oyster shell? Do they know/feel that they are running short on calcium and then prompted to eat it?

Mark

The hens will eat it when they need it. They're pretty good about it.

I have a broody hen but she is a free runner. so i want to take the chicks away cuz i want the chicks to be used to a coop. what would be the best time?? i was thinking like 3 days old.

I would think you'd take them away ASAP. Its going to be hard on both hen and chicks. If you take them away this early, you'll need a brooder with a heat lamp.

Can you just lock Mama and her babies in the coop and get them all used to a coop at the same time?

 

[The chick man]

no because the mother was raised without a coop so they really hate being inside confined spaces
then i will take them out the second i know they've hatched

 

[Fentress]

Thanks

 

[PrincessTamTam]

I have 10 browns with such great personalities, took another brown (she is called Henny Penny . . nuff said) and a Rhode Island from a neighbour last year. This spring I bought 5 Columbian Plymouth Rocks and my Rhode Island went broody. So I got her some fertilized eggs and she hatched 6 chicks. I let her brood on the eggs in the nesting box near the teenage Plymouths (she loved to watch over them) and another chicken plucked her tummy feathers as well and acted as the baby sitter (sitting on the eggs) while the broody hen would leave the eggs to get food and water once or twice during the day. Once the chicks hatched I moved momma hen down beside the teems (separated from the teens by chicken wire) with her chicks. Two weeks ago I let the teens out but they could still jump into their own little spot. Today the chicks are three weeks old and they come out as do the teens and momma hen watches but no one is really picking on anyone (besides Henny Penny picking on the teens). The teens are spastic but it was just so natural to have the baby chicks with the flock right from the start. Tonight is the first night that momma hen is not sleeping with her babies. She has joined the browns back on the roost and 4 chicks are roosting in a window sill with the 5 teens (oh and a Bared Rock who is also a teen) and the two other chicks are roosting on the edge of the nesting box. I tried to get mom and the chicks back into their nice little corner in the coop but apparently no one was interested. third roost to be built tomorrow. I doubt I will ever have a hen hatch eggs again (considering that I started off with the intention of having 10 hens . . .darn chicken math) but if I do I'd do it the same way, right in the coop and right with the flock letting momma hen decide when she will leave her chicks.

 

[gander111]

I keep oyster shell available to my hens full time and they seem to really like it, I do need to refill from time to time. I also supplement their feed with ultra egg. Your chicks will be fine.