kittyl Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Our Pekin chicks will be 4 weeks old tomorrow, Bibble has been a brilliant & devoted mum, but yesterday there was a change in her. She started squawking loudly at the run fence (she's VERY loud too) & for the first time since they hatched she ate the treats I gave her rather than throwing it to her chicks. I've rigged up some temporary fencing around a patch of grass, I open the run door on to this when I'm out there & can watch them, Bibble & the chicks love this, rolling around on the grass, but its no longer enough for Bibble I think she's crying to freerange with her old friends. Is it time to allow her some freedom? or will she abandon them if I do this? How do others manage this part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hmmmm.....I'd keep her with them for a little longer. At 4 weeks they will still need to be under her at night as it is still tending to be chilly. If she has become aggressive towards them, it would be another matter. You would have to bring them in at night for a while, or give them a warmed Snugglesafe to cosy up to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I agree, six weeks is the nrmal age for separation If she pushes the matter then let her go (you may need to watch the others as they may not accept her back readily) bring the chicks in to a shed or garage overnight for another week or so, they should be ok out in a shut coop from abut five weeks if the weather stays mild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 Bibble seems happy to stay with the chicks so long as I let her out for a walk round the garden now and again. However, today she laid an egg, which is probably why she's been yelling so much. That gives me a delema, what do I feed a laying hen & 4 week old chicks. Bibble needs extra calcium now, which she wont get from the chickcrumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Bibble will be fine on the chick crumb till you split them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 Thanks, I wont worry about her then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeckyBeak Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Just bear in mind that if the chick crumb has anti-cocidiostats in it, you shouldn't eat the eggs, but you can make up a nice chopped egg mix to feed back to the chicks, so no waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I've had the same problem - Pickle's chicks are 7 weeks and going to their new home on 26th. I let her out of the eglu run during the day and put her back at bedtime and she seems quite happy with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
