Should I include Mumma chook in the main flock?

[Poliwag1]

On December 23rd we got a mother hen named Zhuzu, alongside her baby (gender unknown currently) Kashou, who was born on December 18th. It's been almost five weeks of them living in a cage indoors separated from the flock. Of a day, they get let out to rummage through the grass, but at night they're kept indoors to ensure the babies' safety. The mother is already beginning to neglect her since around week 3 or 4.

The baby is very tame and talkative, and has been learning to work alone when scavenging, eating, etc while the mum is laying or eating elsewhere (mother has been pecking her to leave her side past week or two). The mother really dislikes the cage, and I think she needs to start learning about the big coop where she has already got the hang of. Is it too early to let the baby be alone? Should I leave the mother in a few days longer?

Baby Kashou as of yesterday (also if anyone is able to tell her gender just from the image that would be great, we think it's a rooster)
Thanks guys

 

[DobieLover]

The mother is already beginning to neglect her since around week 3 or 4.

She is weaning her chick and this is perfectly normal behavior, not neglect.

Unfortunately, you've got a potentially complicated problem now. You have a new hen to your flock that has a chick she has weaned. You need to integrate both of them into your flock. That takes time.

You will need to fence off an area of your coop and run for them to stay in right next to your flock where everyone can see each other but not touch. After at least a week of this, you can remove the barrier and observe behaviors. But none of this should happen unless you have at least 15 sq feet of space per bird between the coop and run and there are lots of places to perch, things to hide behind to get out of the line of sight of higher ranking birds, multiple feed stations and some type of substrate for the birds to scratch around in to engage their natural behaviors. In other words, more than enough resources for all to minimize fighting over them. One of the more most valuable resources in this situation is space.

The complications may arise during the week of 'look, don't touch' acclimation as the mother will want her chick to leave her but the chick cannot.