# should I let mom hen go back to flock with babies?



## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

I have two hens, one has a six week chicken and other has 2- 4 week old
chicks. Any suggestions here as before when I had a lot of chicks I just let mom go back and kept babies separate for awhile. I have read where people have been very successful just letting mother hen introduce chicks. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Has she been separate the entire time? If not, just let her and peeps go and then just watch for trouble. I never really had any issues and if I did, Momma dealt with it.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

Yes Robin she has been separate


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

momma will handle most issues... I lost a chick to getting stepped on by a bigger bird, but its momma first go around and now she is uber protective of the one remaining.. nothing gets near it..


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

powderhogg01 said:


> momma will handle most issues... I lost a chick to getting stepped on by a bigger bird, but its momma first go around and now she is uber protective of the one remaining.. nothing gets near it..


I guess I just need to let go. Mom wants to roost also. I was able to put chicks up there where she is now, but if they go back to flock the house is a bit difficult for me to do that and they cant quite fly up..wont be long though. If I had to do over again I would have a walk in chicken house.
Thank you


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

You may have waited too long. A hen is usually over protecting a 6 week old chick, especially in warm weather.
They're better off being with the flock the whole time. A hen with babies is so formidable that the rest learn to leave those chicks alone and thereby leave them alone as they mature.
The other options are to leave them separated from the flock till the hen wants to roost and let her back with the flock keeping the chicks separate till they're like sizes.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

OldBrickHouseFarm said:


> You may have waited too long. A hen is usually over protecting a 6 week old chick, especially in warm weather.
> They're better off being with the flock the whole time. A hen with babies is so formidable that the rest learn to leave those chicks alone and thereby leave them alone as they mature.
> The other options are to leave them separated from the flock till the hen wants to roost and let her back with the flock keeping the chicks separate till they're like sizes.


Ok I think I have gotten lots of various info as suggested to separate broody to a different area. So wise to have broody stay and hatch within the flock? Thank you


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

It usually works well in the flock. The downside is that all the birds need to be on a starter/grower feed once the chicks hatch.
There's no one right way to do it. Depends on your situation and housing options.
I have a hen with chicks alone in one building and another 2 sitting on eggs with her flock. Don't have available broody apartments at this time for the latter.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I always left mine in with their pen mates. That was with 20 pens, larger than some of the coops I've seen, 4 to 6 birds to a pen. 

The only time I had to move anyone was one hen that was over the top vicious when it came to her chicks and any other getting near them.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

Thank you everyone! Appreciate the info. I need to change how I have been doing things as it's not working well for me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What we have to remember is that chickens have been successfully raising their broods without human intervention for millennia. That should tell us that they know a thing or two about what it takes to be a parent. 

Yes, sometimes we have to intercede but we have to be cautious when we do it. It should only be done when there is a real threat there.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

robin416 said:


> What we have to remember is that chickens have been successfully raising their broods without human intervention for millennia. That should tell us that they know a thing or two about what it takes to be a parent.
> 
> Yes, sometimes we have to intercede but we have to be cautious when we do it. It should only be done when there is a real threat there.


Yes you are absolutely correct. In the back of my mind I thought this but was told and read otherwise so I went ahead and removed broody hens only to make a lot of work and anxiety in " now what" ?? It's ok though.. I know now thank you. I prefer no broodiness here, but attached to these hens so we may have to remodel our existing house to accommodate broodies.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's a great idea. Mine were bred for specifics so I was already pretty much set up for hens raising their broods where they lived. One of the things I encountered is that if I did have several girls laying at the same time they also laid their eggs in the broody's nest. I would mark the eggs being incubated and pulled those that did not belong to the broody. 

I kept the eggs so that when the others went broody, they had something to hatch.


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

There are so many management strategies. One just needs to figure what works for their situation.
There's no one right or wrong way to do things.
Climate and housing options are some of the concerns that vary with each situation.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I do agree with you, Whitecat but we have to figure out a way to adapt to accommodate for the birds. Having Silkies meant chicks could hatch at any point in a given year. January seemed to be a hot month for the girls, which is also one of the coldest months in the year. I adapted my pens to allow the girls and their peeps to remain in their homes while doing the rearing. I never lost one to cold. Actually, I think the survivability rate was higher then than later in the year.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

Good advice all! I'm rethinking things for sure. Right now it seems I have too much to worry about as a result of moving broodies. It will all work out. Just next time l will be trying something different. I have a couple Cochins which seem to be going broody every 3 months! It doesn't matter time of year. I also have two new hens and they are silkies...I know they do also.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yep, keep doing what you are to get them settled. In the mean time stand back and see what might work better for you.

There are a lot of old wive's tales out there about these guys. I've seen that one about raising the peeps with the flock and it being a bad idea. When I started just because of circumstances I let my girls be. I found that after the peeps hatched to watch to see what the reaction was from the others. If there was an issue, then would be the time to move Mom's with peeps or move out the problem bird or birds.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

Yes I see that there is lots of ideas out there. I've only had chickens for 3 years and ones that go broody a year so I'm learning. Thank you Robin!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I was notorious for testing theories when it came to the birds. Disproved and proved quite a few of the old ways of doing things.


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

It just gives you that much more experience to share with others


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Folks are so afraid of testing stuff because they don't want to hurt their birds. I do get that. Some of the big no no's made no sense to me. Putting peeps on paper towels and not shavings? What? That makes no sense when peeps are successfully raised on shavings in the coop with their mothers. So, mine were always on shavings. Never had one pack its crop full of shavings like the old wive's tale claims.

Wry tail. Well, that one is true. It does get passed down to the peeps very easily. 

Duck foot, not so much when one bird has good feet.

Not helping peeps hatch because they will just die any way. That one is so wrong. But it does take careful thought before interceding. Can't tell you how many peeps I helped hatch that went on to be healthy birds.

There are probably more things that I pushed the envelope on but right now I can't think of them.


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

robin416 said:


> What we have to remember is that chickens have been successfully raising their broods without human intervention for millennia. That should tell us that they know a thing or two about what it takes to be a parent.
> 
> Yes, sometimes we have to intercede but we have to be cautious when we do it. It should only be done when there is a real threat there.


That is so true. Whenever I'm undecided and what I tell others is to think about what they would do in nature.
For example, a mother hen doesn't make the ambient air 90F for baby chicks. Ambient air is what it is and she makes a hot spot for them to warm up.
That's how I brood artificially. Give them a hot spot and lots of cool space.



robin416 said:


> Folks are so afraid of testing stuff because they don't want to hurt their birds. I do get that. Some of the big no no's made no sense to me. Putting peeps on paper towels and not shavings? What? That makes no sense when peeps are successfully raised on shavings in the coop with their mothers. So, mine were always on shavings. Never had one pack its crop full of shavings like the old wive's tale claims.
> 
> Wry tail. Well, that one is true. It does get passed down to the peeps very easily.
> 
> ...


I've helped chicks hatch when I thought their trouble was my fault. Otherwise I let nature take its course and the most robust survive.

I do paper towels the first day because I spread their food on them.

Just goes to show, many different techniques can still be successful.

I thought of another. A lot of people use infrared heat lamps and say red lights make them calmer. Actually, the red only hides blood so prevents pecking. They do make them a little crazy when they're on 24/7.
Blue light is actually calming to chickens.
I don't us light for brooding but rather ceramic emitters. I give them 24 hour light for 3 or 4 days and then 8 hours of dark each night.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I did try the emitters. The problem I ran in to is failing too soon for the cost associated with it. And I'd have to check to make certain it was working. Out in the coop that meant putting my hand under the lamp to make sure it was still warm. At night, Mom's did the brooding so I only really needed a warming station for the peeps during the day time.

I moved away from the incubator years ago. If I did have to incubate, I almost always had a hen willing to foster the peeps. The advantages for raising Silkies are many.


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

Making sure they're on is a downside. If you have 2, it doesn't matter if one fails.
I've had them break but never fail if they were intact. If they break, they're less of a problem than broken lamps. They just split near the socket end. 
I have a thermometer with an alarm I may start using in the brooders that way I don't have to wonder if they're on.

Silkies are reliable. I have 3 broody Penedesencas right now.
But I still incubate once or twice a month - almost year round.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have to quit talking to people like you. I still have my turn-x out in the garage and so far I've been successful at telling myself no. But every time I read a post like yours it makes me think, just this once. I really need to sell it, that way the temptation is removed.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Get more chicks robin!!!!!!!!!


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## hennypenney (May 21, 2015)

I'm happy I have a couple silkies now. Hoping they are good fosters. Last Cochin hatched all but two of her chicks. She left two that I put in incubator. I pretty much had to take them out of their shells. Healthy birds now but in a brooder. Only two weeks old. 
Only reason I have kept my bator. I had my fun with it though but it's retired unless emergency!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Fiere said:


> Get more chicks robin!!!!!!!!!


Nope, nadda,not going to. But thanks for trying.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

If there wasn't so many restrictions, I'd mail you more birds lol


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just keep in mind, I may be out of the breeding business but from the way things are going it will be years before I'm chickenless.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Especially if you GET MORE BIRDS!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Fiere said:


> Especially if you GET MORE BIRDS!


If I wasn't so physically limited now you would probably get past the decision I made when I sold out.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Service chickens? A big floofy chicken to drag you around, mayhaps?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nah, with these geriatrics I have now, that's more than enough work.

I found Head Tuck tucking last night when I went to turn on the hot wire. It's the heat and humidity, it's worse than I've seen it when we moved here two years ago. Stress always brought it out in her, being broody was a biggie. I haven't seen her do it since she stopped laying.

I dosed her with some Rooster Booster Poultry Cell last night. Stayed with her bit to stop the contraction of her neck. This morning she's up, gave her the RB in some Kaytee but it's not totally miserable out there yet. I fully expect to find her tucking again later today.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Might be time to move her in the house? LOL!

My oldest geriatric I have is 6, mind she's a red sex link so that means she's about 60 lol. She has her issues but nothing terrible yet. Old Jack, the 8 year old rosecomb passed after a month or so. I think the move was just too much for him and he couldn't recover the weight he was losing. It's hard on them, folks don't realize, the owners should've kept him to die instead of tossing him in with my lot.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm sorry to hear about Jack. Poor old man. At least he was some place being cared for for his last days.

My other nine year old Bobble died this past weekend. I knew it was coming but after nine years and being able to count on him to challenge me there seems to be hole left behind.

Head Tuck is my head injury bird. It happened when she was just old enough to know she was a girl so being nine is quite an accomplishment for her.

This is Head Tuck, see how her beak is tucked to her neck? That is how she held it after she recovered from the brain swelling.








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There is obviously residual brain damage there since stress will manifest in to her tucking her head between her legs. Believe me, I've been thinking about it. I could move her to my breezeway and keep my cats in. It's far more comfortable there and she wouldn't be getting accustomed to the AC in the house.

BTW, that was her looking at me when I called her name.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Oh no, I remember Bobble having some issues. There would definitely be a hole left. 
Was that the boy who looked like a perpetually ticked off owl? You have this one picture and it kills me every time.

I think Head Tuck would enjoy life indoors next to the AC


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You know those birds you love to hate? That was Bobble. He was a thorn in my side until the last six months. Yet, whenever someone offered to buy him I said no. He was a good looking buff boy but he had issues. One being him challenging every time he thought he could get away with it, he never did. But there were neuro issues there. Whenever he got stressed his head bobbed and weaved all over the place. 

That other boy was a paint that was sold when I sold out. That bird didn't have a mean bone in his body but he sure looked the part, didn't he?

So far so good with Head Tuck today. She's up and doing whatever she occupies her time with. If anyone asked me why dosing her the way I do when she gets like this works, I really don't have an answer. I don't know why it works. Other than maybe the heat puts so much stress on her she's unable to process the nutrients she gets from her feed. Or because of the heat she's not eating enough and it affects her first. At nine I guess they are very much like us seniors, unable to maintain a proper body temp.

Which reminds me, that was the other thing I felt last night. Too much heat coming off her so she did get to stand in a pan of water for a few minutes.


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