[robynp]

Hello everybody.

We have just had one of our chickens hatch a chick (now one day old - and very, very cute), and I was looking for some advice. 

Mum and chick are outside, seperate from our other three chickens, in a cage designed for a puppy.  There is newspaper down, with soft hay on top and they have access to water (in a bowl with pebbles in it) and chick crumb.  It all seems to be going well, but now I'm starting to panic that I may be missing something vital!! 

While Gabby (the mum) was on the egg we were putting her out once a day to have a walk around and a dust bath which she was enjoying.  Should we continue to put her out once a day, or is there a chance that she might not want to go back to the chick?  I assume that I shouldn't be handling it, but I need to clean out the cage.  Is it likely that mum might turn on chick if I'm interfering?  How long should the chick be in the cage before it gets to go outside and then meet the other grown ups?

Thank you so much in advance for your advice!  I really want to give this little one a good chance, and you guys seem to be the people to help me do it!

Robyn x

[lucylou]

hi there, congratulations on your new addition! i am a new member myself so dont have any knowledge yet to share but have used this site in the last day or so for advice which has been brilliant - so im sure someone will be along soon to help you out ; good luck!

[Vember]

Hi Robyn

Welcome to the Hen House

Congratulations on the little one, they grow fast and will be sprouting feathers sooner than you can say Jack Robinson

Ideally Mum and baby should have a secure run for day time that has some form of shelter in case of bad weather, this can either be attached to the house or separate  ( something you can move around easily is best as food and poops will soon take over the grass ), if you go for the second option then you will need to pick mum and baby up twice a day to put her in the run and back in the house at night (If the Mummy hen is used to being handled then she will be fine letting you pick up the little one, she may on the other hand go to peck you to protect it but once she knows your not going to harm it then she'll be fine )


Integrating with the rest of your flock will come later, once the chick is more of a size that it can look after it's self this could be in about 5/6 weeks depending on the breed



Sarah