Whether to put in with flock

[grannyweezie]

I've been trying to read the posts & there seems to be opinions for both ways whether to keep separate from flock. I have 1 week old chicks hatched from donor eggs after dealing with my broody hen for 2 years. I finally gave up & gave her fertile eggs to sit on lol. Started with 12, 3 completely disappeared while we were out of town for a week, have no clue how or where they went. Anyways, 5 hatched out of the remaining 9. I've raised chicks before but never with the momma hen. I always kept them separated & under a light but it's been easier this way & fun to watch her teach them & interact with them. Currently they're in a large dog kennel in the hen house so protected from the other flock & have access to their own food & water but we'll be leaving again for few days, so wondering at what point to let them out with the rest? It would mean my other hens eating chick starter which I've heard will decrease egg production? And when momma weans them will they need a heat lamp? Or should I keep them confined to this smaller area where they're protected, but in a couple more weeks it will be cramped quarters, plus its harder to be gone because I'll need someone to do more for them while in it. It would be easier on me if they were in with the flock but want what's best for them. My hubby says why did you allow her to be a mommy this time of year when it's getting cold (southern Ohio & had 30s temp last night) & when we had plans to be away so causing these issues lol.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

First, throw out your ideas of heat lamps and isolation. That is for artificial brooders. I have hatched plenty of chicks with a broody in the dead of winter, once in a two-week freezing rain and snow storm with temps in the teens. I have pics of momma and babies foraging in the snow at 3 to 4 day old chicks. They just run around in their down coats and go back to momma like a warming hutch if they feel chilled. Just make sure they are out of direct weather until fully feathered. Which by the way happens a LOT faster than artificial brooded. You will see your broody babes feather in by 3 weeks of age, fully feather often by 4 weeks of age.

Secondly, get used to the fact that one might not make it due to a stupid chick trick if you allow to integrate into the flock, but don't be surprised that all 5 thrive. First time mommies can make mistakes, and so can a first time flock. But each subsequent brood, my hens get smarter and better. I pretty much have a 100% success rate now, but sometimes a stupid chick will stray under a fence and get lost or fall into an unknown danger or get picked off by a rat.

Third, assess your flock and your broody's temperament. That is the only real factor to take into consideration. How attentive is your momma. How is your momma ranked in this flock. Is she a confident gal who will run off anybody that tries to mess with her chicks? If you have aggressive hens in the flock, this could end up in a tussle which can be dangerous for chicks as they can get trod upon during the tussle. If that is the case, it is best to integrate at 2 to 3 weeks of age as the chicks are more fleet of foot and feathered in better to prevent chilling should they get separated from momma for a time.

So the real question is the integration due to flock and broody temperament not whether the chicks can handle the integration, which they can in most situations if they are with an attentive momma. Right now, with temps going down into the low 40's at night, 50's during the day, I have two 3 day old chicks running around in the main flock as late hatchers. Flock doesn't lift an eye brow. Hasn't all summer when I had 10 running around at a time. My rooster makes sure all is well. Everyone knows to duck and cover if a hawk flies over. (I also have bird netting and hiding places).

My recommendation to you is to integrate and watch while you have a home stay stretch. You can work out the kinks then (wrong food bowl, water not reachable, safety check for dangers, flock and hen fighting too much, hen not supervising chicks). Once you feel confident they have settled, then you should be able to leave them for a couple of days with the understanding that ANY time you leave your property bad things can happen because you aren't there.

Good luck. Let us know how it is going.
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

To add: You should also ask yourself how valuable these chicks are. If they are special breed that you paid a lot of good money for, then more precaution is warranted as sometimes bad things happen to little chicks in the main flock. If that is the case, then you may wish to have a segregated area until they are nearly 6 weeks of age to even 10 weeks of age depending upon your conditions. I built a broody hutch and grow out pen just for that purpose when I was having to buy my breeder eggs to establish my lines. Now, I can afford to flock hatch and brood.

LofMc

 

[grannyweezie]

Thanks so much for your very informative answer! I've raised 3 batches without a hen & didn't know there was a difference in their growth e.t.c with a momma. I need to give the raising over to her I guess lol! It's been fun watching her protect & teach them.
They aren't expensive eggs, free from a neighbor with a rooster, just to satisfy my broody hen! I'm going to share the chicks with the neighbor. Hopefully they're not all roosters.
This momma seems to be very protective from within her current enclosure. She goes after the other hens when they are on the other side.
The flock is kept in a 10x20 very protected run with a 10x10 shed for their nesting & night roosting. I can't let them run free because we've had so many predators. Have trapped 6 coons, seen 2 coyotes, plus owls & hawks. And unfortunately rats last winter but poison & traps have seemed to gotten rid of them for now.
Currently they're in the shed in a 3x4 enclosure which is ok for chicks now but not much room for momma & chicks will outgrow it soon. I could move them out to the run like I did my others. I have always separated them with temporary netting until they were about 3-4 months of age but was hoping not to have to do that this time if she would protect them. I guess the biggest issue would be their food. I had read that the other hens shouldn't have chick starter so that was the other reason I've always kept them separated? I'm glad to know I won't have to mess with a light! I'd do this more often with a broody if I knew I wouldn't get a bunch of roosters, because this has been much easier lol.
Thanks again for your time to reply!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

You can feed all your flock the chick starter if you want. People shy from the medicated chick start, but you can actually feed the whole flock the Amprolium and eat the eggs as it does not pose a threat to humans.

I typically get a flock raiser and feed the whole flock with oyster shell on the side for the laying hens to nibble. I often get the pellet even as my experienced hens know how to break it up for the chicks.

Once you establish a good broody, life is very, very easy. Likely you can put her in that large enclosure with the others. Integration in a snap with babes as mom does all the work. But for the first time, you have to make sure your flock and your mom are capable.

Good luck.
LofMc

 

[Aapomp831]

First, throw out your ideas of heat lamps and isolation. That is for artificial brooders. I have hatched plenty of chicks with a broody in the dead of winter, once in a two-week freezing rain and snow storm with temps in the teens. I have pics of momma and babies foraging in the snow at 3 to 4 day old chicks. They just run around in their down coats and go back to momma like a warming hutch if they feel chilled. Just make sure they are out of direct weather until fully feathered. Which by the way happens a LOT faster than artificial brooded. You will see your broody babes feather in by 3 weeks of age, fully feather often by 4 weeks of age.

Secondly, get used to the fact that one might not make it due to a stupid chick trick if you allow to integrate into the flock, but don't be surprised that all 5 thrive. First time mommies can make mistakes, and so can a first time flock. But each subsequent brood, my hens get smarter and better. I pretty much have a 100% success rate now, but sometimes a stupid chick will stray under a fence and get lost or fall into an unknown danger or get picked off by a rat.

Third, assess your flock and your broody's temperament. That is the only real factor to take into consideration. How attentive is your momma. How is your momma ranked in this flock. Is she a confident gal who will run off anybody that tries to mess with her chicks? If you have aggressive hens in the flock, this could end up in a tussle which can be dangerous for chicks as they can get trod upon during the tussle. If that is the case, it is best to integrate at 2 to 3 weeks of age as the chicks are more fleet of foot and feathered in better to prevent chilling should they get separated from momma for a time.

So the real question is the integration due to flock and broody temperament not whether the chicks can handle the integration, which they can in most situations if they are with an attentive momma. Right now, with temps going down into the low 40's at night, 50's during the day, I have two 3 day old chicks running around in the main flock as late hatchers. Flock doesn't lift an eye brow. Hasn't all summer when I had 10 running around at a time. My rooster makes sure all is well. Everyone knows to duck and cover if a hawk flies over. (I also have bird netting and hiding places).

My recommendation to you is to integrate and watch while you have a home stay stretch. You can work out the kinks then (wrong food bowl, water not reachable, safety check for dangers, flock and hen fighting too much, hen not supervising chicks). Once you feel confident they have settled, then you should be able to leave them for a couple of days with the understanding that ANY time you leave your property bad things can happen because you aren't there.

Good luck. Let us know how it is going.
LofMc

Freakin’ awesome post! I thought I was a broody expert but I just learned a lot. Thanks for that