New home for the chicks

No, we didn't give the chicks away, we just moved them to a new location to help them integrate with the rest of the flock. The chicks were 4 weeks old when we decided to move them and I read that it was usually after 4 weeks that the mumma hen decides to wean them.


Previously they were in a little coop under our veranda. That way they were protected from predators as the coop was sitting on brick flooring. It was a nice area for them as it is shaded and there is a lovely shrubby area, with lots of small and big leafy plants next to it for them to free range in. The problem is that we would only allow them to free range when we were at home.

Where Goldilocks and the chicks spent the first 4 weeks. As you can see, lots of leaf litter, shrubby plants for the chicks to dig and hide in. Buffy and co. decided to visit on this day.

As the chicks got bigger, Goldilocks was not happy being locked up in the coop with them all day, only to be let out in the evenings. So, it was off to Buffy's coop. We wanted a slow integration with mumma Goldilocks facilitating the chicks introduction to the bigger hens. However, it turned out that Goldilocks was a fierce mumma! When Spot decided to be a bit too inquisitive with the chicks, Goldilocks told her off and beat her up! All this from a sweet little Pekin! It goes to show, what a mum will do for her chicks.

So we moved Goldilocks coop to Buffy's run, so she and the chicks would have some place familiar to return to and fenced off a small area for them. We put a bit of netting over the top to stop the chicks flying over.

This way the hens get to see the chicks everyday and hopefully learn not to attack them.

At the time of writing this post, the chicks are 5 weeks old and it does seem that Goldilocks is starting to wean them off her. She doesn't communicate as much with them (she would constantly go "po-po-po-po" for the chicks), doesn't offer them as much food, but she does let them sleep with her.

Investigating the big girl coop

At the 3-4 week mark, we also noticed that one of the chicks had much thicker legs than the other two. Coupled with a much pinker and larger comb, we think that we got one boy and two girls. And of course, it was the boy that I liked the most. Partially because it was the boldest chick and the only one to eat off my hand when he was little.

The boy is also sporting a cool mohawk. Such attitude for a little dude.

When we're home, they get to go outside to free range with the others. So far, there have been a few scuffles, mainly from Goldilocks telling off the other hens for getting to close to the chicks. So, Goldilocks is quite ready to kick them out of the nest yet!

Next week, the fencing around the little coop will come down and Goldilocks and the chicks will have the whole of Buffy's run to free range in.

Wish us luck that all goes well!

Time to go and cuddle chickens :)