12 week old chicks

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I have 7 12week old chicks with 2 mother hens separated from the rest of the flock of 20hens and 2 cockerels. I now think its time to put the mothers back in with the rest of the birds, when I have done this they become stressed and want to return, and the other birds give them abad time. Can anyone tell me how to achieve this?

 

[chrismahon]

We separate ours from 6 -8 weeks. Important thing is to get the mothers back to full strength before they are re-introduced as they will be treated as outsiders having been away for so long. Some of ours treat fellow hens away for just one day as outsiders -short memory or what! So you have to manage them as you would new birds. Into a run and coop alongside the others for two weeks and then introduce into the coop at night. This also gives them chance to build up their strength.

We introduced one of our more fearsome Wyandottes back too quickly and she got beaten up. We took her straight from her babies and put her back into her old run. She has never regained her confidence after 12 months and now runs from her own shadow. A mistake we won't repeat. She was top hen in that coop once.

Yes, they do want to go back to their chicks for a day or so -maternal instinct. But then they forget all about them and soon start laying the next batch.

 

[Chicken Chaser]

Howdy,

I would have to agree with chrismahon. You should probably let them rest
and gain their strength before putting them back.


~Chicken Chaser