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Enchanted1s
Songster
Thank you @L1sa Whitey and the babies have the entire run to themselves. They can be seen and heard by the others. There is quite an ordeal with all the others laying these days as two of the nest boxes are in the run and they can't access it. They have other nest boxes in the Hen House, but it's clear they are not very happy they cannot go into the run.Is there any way you could put a chicken wire area within the main run for whitey and the chicks, so the others can still see and get used to them without touching? I did that for the first week/two and then I left the door open and they just integrated themselves.
It is quite scary when you first re integrate them, but generally the others won't go after the young chicks, it's when they get a bit bigger they start!! Mine only started pecking the chicks when they got to about 5 weeks, actually when mumma weaned them, and she is still the worst 'pecker' out of all of them!!
Chicks are designed to run fast for a reason! Make sure they have places to hide, to run and get away from the others. I moved my maternity coop away from the wall just enough so they can get round the side but the big girls can't fit. They learn very quickly where they fit in the pecking order, and it's not scary or strange to them...it's how chickens do life.
I actually work at a school and I had to make a video this week about my chickens for the grade 1 class and bless them, they were really concerned when I explained that the chicks mum has now turned her back on them. One of the kids questions was " why did she do that, I hope my mum doesn't do that to me."We humans see chicken behaviour and compare it to us and think of it as mean and cruel, but it's not, the chicks have to go through a learning process and it's perfectly normal. Whitey will also have to go through a reintegration process to regain her place amongst the flock.
Good luck
I think I have the other two babies sold next weekend so we will soon see how Whitey deals with everything.
