Our first broody hen day 17

[Aji Dulce]

Only four more days to go and she will hatch her babies. I have introduced grown chickens before, to my existing flock, but as it pertains to a new mother hen and her chicks, what’s the best way to integrate them in the larger flock? She has her nest in an adjacent smaller coop & run, divided by hardware cloth, so they will be able to see each other but not cross over.
Will the mother hen be considered an outsider again?
Do I separate her from her chicks/when?
Do I reintroduce her first, and leave her chicks to grow out 12 weeks like I do with store-bought chicks?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I pen hens separately but within sight for 1-2 weeks before releasing the hen and chicks under supervision back into the flock. Sometimes there's no problems, other times there are. If necessary separate them out nightly until you feel safe leaving them out. A good mom will take care of her chicks. By 2 weeks most chicks are strong enough to get away from other birds and keep up with the mom.

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

I’ve always kept the mama and babies separate for about a week until I know the babies are eating and drinking well and are strong enough to follow mama up and down the (not very steep) ramps of the coop. I usually transfer them to the main coop after a week during the day when most hens are either laying or out and about. The mama makes herself at home in the coop and might not venture out that day (make sure food and water are accessible). I’ve never lost a chick this way and the rest of the flock has accepted each mama and babies with no problems. It may be that most of my flock is fairly docile (lots of Orpingtons) so I would watch to make sure things are going ok. I’ve done it this way 10+ times and never lost a chick. The only time I did it differently was when my one bantam hen was broody and wouldn’t quit - I let her hatch out 4 Orpington eggs and then put her in a wire dog crate with her chicks after a week with the flock. After a few days I opened the crate and they seamlessly integrated with no problems. The bantam hen was the best mama, even though the chicks outgrew her at only a few weeks old, haha!

She taught them to roost almost immediately and then covered them every night until they were bigger than her

 

[Aji Dulce]

I pen hens separately but within sight for 1-2 weeks before releasing the hen and chicks under supervision back into the flock. Sometimes there's no problems, other times there are. If necessary separate them out nightly until you feel safe leaving them out. A good mom will take care of her chicks. By 2 weeks most chicks are strong enough to get away from other birds and keep up with the mom.

Follow up question: at the end of the day, when the mom and chicks are out, will she return to her own adjacent coop where they have been, or will she follow into the big coop with the others?

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

Follow up question: at the end of the day, when the mom and chicks are out, will she return to her own adjacent coop where they have been, or will she follow into the big coop with the others?

My hens have always gone into the main coop after that, but they also didn’t have access to the other coop. The moms always went into the coop long before the other hens were ready to roost for the night and cuddled in a corner in the floor with the little ones. I had one hen that would go in for the night at 4pm! It’s like they know the babies need more sleep. It always amazes me how nature works. I would keep an eye on them for the first day or two and then the mom/babies/flock might have the routine down by then. I did have a few times when a baby got separated and couldn’t figure out how to get up the ramp - the baby make a super loud alert cheep so I went in and put it on the right track up the ramp. I’ve also never had any roosters be aggressive to the babies either that way.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Follow up question: at the end of the day, when the mom and chicks are out, will she return to her own adjacent coop where they have been, or will she follow into the big coop with the others?

That I don't know for sure. Every broody has her own ideas about how she wants to do stuff. I personally watch and check up on them on a regular basis to make sure they are doing stuff I'm comfortable with. If not I step in a direct them where I want them.

 

[Aji Dulce]

I pen hens separately but within sight for 1-2 weeks before releasing the hen and chicks under supervision back into the flock. Sometimes there's no problems, other times there are. If necessary separate them out nightly until you feel safe leaving them out. A good mom will take care of her chicks. By 2 weeks most chicks are strong enough to get away from other birds and keep up with the mom.

So I had wanted to give her a couple of extra days, knowing that other hens laid in her nest with her in it. Today is it and no chicks. No peeping. Only a putrid smell; I think she’s on rotting eggs. Maybe some were cracked?

 

[Aji Dulce]

l

My hens have always gone into the main coop after that, but they also didn’t have access to the other coop. The moms always went into the coop long before the other hens were ready to roost for the night and cuddled in a corner in the floor with the little ones. I had one hen that would go in for the night at 4pm! It’s like they know the babies need more sleep. It always amazes me how nature works. I would keep an eye on them for the first day or two and then the mom/babies/flock might have the routine down by then. I did have a few times when a baby got separated and couldn’t figure out how to get up the ramp - the baby make a super loud alert cheep so I went in and put it on the right track up the ramp. I’ve also never had any roosters be aggressive to the babies either that way.

It’s the end of her time, + 3 days. No chicks. She has been sitting like a champ but it smells like she’s sitting on rot. There are even flies, which we’ve never had. Tomorrow I’m lifting her up and ending her brooding. So sad.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If one egg is bad it can contaminate the whole nest. The bacteria spreads. Sorry.

 

[Aji Dulce]

If one egg is bad it can contaminate the whole nest. The bacteria spreads. Sorry.

So now I see the best reason for candling eggs.