4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[wayside]

I have 4 one week old chicks, all doing very well indeed thank goodness!!! I gave my broody Warren 4 one day old chicks on Monday and she is loving being a mummy to 1 cream legbar, 2 rhode island reds and 1 buff orpington!

 

As I say she is doing a brilliant job and the chicks really adore her. They are all in an eglu and run at the moment but was wondering when should I let them venture out?? I have 3 other mature warren hens and worry about the chicks being bullied (or will mum protect them?)

 

If anyone could tell me when would be safe to let them explore I would be most grateful.

[Egluntyne]

Personally, I would only let them out with mum if the others were safely locked away, to avoid trouble.

[bessandra]

Hi there

I have two one and a half week old chicks with their mummy Brenda and I've let them all out every night this week for half hr or so, the others-all six of them, hve been safely secured in their run. I agree with the above post and def wouldn't let them mix with your big girls, not for quite some weeks yet.

I have to say, watching teeny tiny chicks go about their chicken business is amazing! They do big chicken things but are just a mini version!

[abwsco]

We didn't try chicks and the rest of the gang out all together until the chicks were 11 weeks old. Even though they'd been seen every day by the others we still needed to be on hand to sort out any argey bargy.

[Lewis]

From a week or so old I'd let everyone else out and but Hilary + the chicks in the WIR so they could have a scratch around.

They're nearly 4 weeks old now and have have met the others while free ranging ... I've been out there with them watching.

 

Hilary does a good job keeping the others away and we've not had any problems when they have been close together