Integrating New Chicks with Flock

[randylyons]

Normally, when purchasing chicks from Tractor Supply, I isolate them away from the flock until they are big enough to defend themselves, however, THIS scenario is new to me. A friend bought an incubator and wanted some fertilized eggs to learn with. I gave her a dozen and to my surprise, she had a 100% hatch rate! Now, I have 12 day-old baby chicks, and since we live in a different place, I have no way to isolate them. They are currently in a tote with a heat lamp, but I was planning to integrate them 2 at a time to a hen that just hatched 3 chicks and hoping she would "adopt" them. If that worked, I was going to slowly bring the other 10 chicks in to her. I have a problem. She has been nesting on the floor of the coop in the straw, but tonight when I went out to close them up for the night, she is on the roost with her 3 chicks with her! I think my plan just fell apart. Does anyone think she will move back to the floor since the new chicks will be unable to get up to the roost or should I pursue isolation?

 

[samanthaoverton]

It might be too late if these chicks are old enough to roost with the mom. You don't want to risk her alienating the new chicks or potentially hurting them. I would NOT suggest this. However if you do this; only do it at night and if she is roosting on the ground and only do one chick and be prepared if something bad happens. Another idea would be to fence them away from her and in sight of her, if it is warm enough. They will be exposed to each other without being hurt.

 

[Yardmom]

It is to late to add chicks to a brood that is old enough to roost. The babies would be seen as intruders. Chicks can be brooded in a coop if they are given there own space. I use a fence that I lift up so chicks can go under, but hens cannot. They of course need a safe heat source as well as separate food and water.