Intro two chicks to one hen

[NatJ]

I have kept them in the outer run during the day instead of free ranging to help the chicks establish home.
Now I’m wondering if they’d get friendly by free ranging? Or should I wait til they all get along before I let them out?

I would probably keep them in for now.

If they free range, they would probably be happy to stay apart from each other, but it would not teach the chicks where "home" is supposed to be. Also, forcing them to be together (same run) is one way of forcing them to get used to each other faster, which is probably a good thing in this case.

If they start injuring each other, I would probably divide the space (wire mesh) rather than letting them out to range, because that is also a way of forcing them to accept each other in close quarters but not letting them hurt each other.

But that is just one set of views. With chickens, there are usually many ways to do something, and several of them work equally well.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

I would probably keep them in for now.

If they free range, they would probably be happy to stay apart from each other, but it would not teach the chicks where "home" is supposed to be. Also, forcing them to be together (same run) is one way of forcing them to get used to each other faster, which is probably a good thing in this case.

If they start injuring each other, I would probably divide the space (wire mesh) rather than letting them out to range, because that is also a way of forcing them to accept each other in close quarters but not letting them hurt each other.

But that is just one set of views. With chickens, there are usually many ways to do something, and several of them work equally well.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

I would probably keep them in for now.

If they free range, they would probably be happy to stay apart from each other, but it would not teach the chicks where "home" is supposed to be. Also, forcing them to be together (same run) is one way of forcing them to get used to each other faster, which is probably a good thing in this case.

If they start injuring each other, I would probably divide the space (wire mesh) rather than letting them out to range, because that is also a way of forcing them to accept each other in close quarters but not letting them hurt each other.

But that is just one set of views. With chickens, there are usually many ways to do something, and several of them work equally well.

Thank you for this.
Makes me feel like I’m on the right track.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

Update: the neighbor kids closed up the coop last night and reported that that the chicks were on the roost! I assume the hen was up there too so we have turned a corner!

So should we let them get friendly now… can I trust them to go free range as a team, or is more camaraderie needed?

 

[NatJ]

Update: the neighbor kids closed up the coop last night and reported that that the chicks were on the roost! I assume the hen was up there too so we have turned a corner!

So should we let them get friendly now… can I trust them to go free range as a team, or is more camaraderie needed?

I would probably not let them free range until you get back home to supervise, but at that point you might as well try it and see how it goes.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

I would probably not let them free range until you get back home to supervise, but at that point you might as well try it and see how it goes.

The hen is an experienced free ranger. The chicks once escaped the run and behaved reasonably, staying close to home base.
If they are all three friends now, they’ll be fine.