Help! Our missing hen has returned and she's not alone!

[randylyons]

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WONDERFUL!!!! I love these pics!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Don't isolate them. Let her bring her chicks into the flock. This is important. She will protect the chicks and they should be allowed to bond with their father.
Put the flock on chick starter with a container or two of oyster shell on the side. She will take care of them. She will nest with them on the floor of the coop until the chicks are big enough to take to the roost.

I totally agree.

After the amount of time gone, would she not need re-integration?

Mine never did. That may be because she is mingling with the flock when she comes off of the nest for her daily food, water, and poop constitutional. Just because you don't see her doesn't mean she isn't running over to the feeder to fill up.

Chickens have been doing things like this for thousands of years, since before they were first domesticated. They still have the basic instincts. Can something go wrong? Of course, it's always possible. Usually when it goes wrong is when we interfere and try to to protect or manage them instead of letting them be chickens.

My question in all this is where will she take them to sleep? Will it be somewhere predator safe. That is about the only thing I can think of that might cause me to interfere.

 

[randylyons]

I totally agree.


Mine never did. That may be because she is mingling with the flock when she comes off of the nest for her daily food, water, and poop constitutional. Just because you don't see her doesn't mean she isn't running over to the feeder to fill up.

Chickens have been doing things like this for thousands of years, since before they were first domesticated. They still have the basic instincts. Can something go wrong? Of course, it's always possible. Usually when it goes wrong is when we interfere and try to to protect or manage them instead of letting them be chickens.

My question in all this is where will she take them to sleep? Will it be somewhere predator safe. That is about the only thing I can think of that might cause me to interfere.

I think you're totally correct. I believe she has been hanging with the flock off and on during the day every day, and I wouldn't know it. I don't do a head count until evening when I lock up the coop. Also, she and the chicks are now safe in the coop. I won't guarantee it to be "predator safe", but I took all the precautions when building it, and nothing has gotten into it in the two years that we've been using it.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I agree with all that has been said, but have one concern. Snakes. The OP didnt post their location that i could see, but in my neck of the woods, free-ranging chicks have a zero percent survival rate due to plentiful rat snakes and copperheads.

 

[randylyons]

I agree with all that has been said, but have one concern. Snakes. The OP didnt post their location that i could see, but in my neck of the woods, free-ranging chicks have a zero percent survival rate due to plentiful rat snakes and copperheads.

We are located in Chickamauga, GA, and the only snakes we have seen in our area are Garden snakes. Also, I have a German Shepherd who hates snakes.

 

[randylyons]

They seem happy. I realize now that in the past, we isolated the chicks because they had no one to protect them. We bought them from Tractor Supply and kept them isolated until they were big enough to defend themselves. Now, the key is "momma". Hopefully, she'll take care of them and isolation will be unnecessary.

 

[Vacman]

Wow! That's such great news. Just let nature (and your hen) take its course.

 

[mra]

Our hen that we thought was snatched by a hawk about 4-6 weeks ago returned yesterday with 7 chicks. We are happy, shocked, overwhelmed, and TOTALLY unprepared. So many questions!

We have her and the chicks isolated from the rest of the flock in a 2' x 4' wooden box, until I can build something for them. I realize they will outgrow that box soon, so I'm desperate for some advice. Thanks in advance...

Congratulations to the lucky grandparents!!!

 

[mra]

Our hen that we thought was snatched by a hawk about 4-6 weeks ago returned yesterday with 7 chicks. We are happy, shocked, overwhelmed, and TOTALLY unprepared. So many questions!

We have her and the chicks isolated from the rest of the flock in a 2' x 4' wooden box, until I can build something for them. I realize they will outgrow that box soon, so I'm desperate for some advice. Thanks in advance...

Congratulations to the lucky grandparents!!!

 

[NickyS2512]

After the amount of time gone, would she not need re-integration?