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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

I need some advice guys. We successfully hatch six chicks under a broody hen a few months ago. Now the broody has left the chicks to their own devices. The other hens killed two this morning. Do I keep these chicks separate from the rest of the flock or what?

Cheers.

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dizandstell · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:38 pm Post subject:

Hi Wayland

We have succesfully hatched 3 batches over the past 6 months and have always kept our chicks seperate from the adults until they are big enough to fend for themselves (approx 20 weeks). We also found the adults were very agressive to the chicks once the mothers had left them and the mothers even joined in sometimes.

We built a small brooder run for them and then moved them into another house once they had outgrown it. Seemed to do the trick.

We are hoping to move some of the older pullets back into the adult house in the next few weeks, but not sure what will happen. The adult birds are mean!!

Good luck
Stell

phil · Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:48 pm Post subject:

I would keep the young birds separate until they are big enough to either defend themselves or keep out of the way.

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Thanks lads. I will keep them seperate. Pain in the ass me thinks especially as these youngens are their own kin. Complete strangers I could understand.

Cheers.
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blowin · Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:15 pm Post subject:

I have never had hens attack young chicks but did have a cockerel which killed several one day olds and trashed the remaining unhatched eggs in the nest . We ate the cockerel that same day . That seemed to resolve the problem .

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

I imagine it would have Very Happy

. I never was a luver of chooks. Ho Hum. I have duck eggs in the bater now. Ducks are cool me thinks. Wink

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blowin · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:46 am Post subject:

I would rather have ducks than chooks any day . Unfortunately the mink seem to think the same .

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

We have no problems with mink as yet. <Touches forlock and spinns around three times> Wink

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