Wait until weaned or bring chicks into coop before?

[minicoopers]

Hi - long time reader, first time posting a question. I have 2 hens that hatched 5 chicks, they are 5 weeks old today. They have been raised together in a brooder away from my 2 older hens but free range in the same yard during the day. The moms are opposite side of the order; one is a Maran (lowest ranking) and the other is a barred rock (top ranking hen). They together share mom responsibilities although I have found the barred rock picking on the Maran and chasing her away from the babies on occasion. The Maran is very protective and chases down either of my 2 older hens who happen to get near a baby. I'm wondering how long it will be before I can have them all together in the same coop? The chicks go in the main coop during the day with their moms checking it out. If one of the older hens happens to be in the coop at the same time, all hell breaks loose. Do I need to wait until the momma hens wean and stop paying attention the chicks? By that time, the moms should go back to being chickens not moms and not worry who is around the chicks?

 

[21hens-incharge]

You want them in there while mom is still protecting them. I would do it now. If you wait much longer mom won't protect them....part of moms job is integrating the kids into the flock.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I agree that mom will help protect them but not for long.
I normally don't separate the broody hen and her chicks from the flock, I just have her divided in the coop for safety until the chicks a couple weeks old. Then everyone is part of the flock.

 

[minicoopers]

Thank you both for replying. I did a lot of reading on here to manage chicks hatching, see but don’t touch etc and thought I was doing it the right way. I will close their separate coop and have everyone start living together today.

 

[Stepnout]

I have zero experience with introducing new chicks to an existing Flock.
Common sense tells me hens have been introducing babies to the flock for thousands of years. Good mommas know best.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you both for replying. I did a lot of reading on here to manage chicks hatching, see but don’t touch etc and thought I was doing it the right way. I will close their separate coop and have everyone start living together today.

It's all good. It can get confusing when dealing with a broody mom, her rank in the flock, the other flock members and their ranks AND the moms hormones telling her to be fierce....or not.

There are a lot of variables within each flock.

It sounds like your birds have been together during the day with mom being protective so it should all go smoothly.

The see but don't touch is more necessary in flocks where chicks are brooded by the human.....cause they don't have a protective chicken mom teaching them and the others how to act.

 

[minicoopers]

Update, first few hours it was definitely a little loud in the coop. Next morning everyone woke up and started their morning without any concerns. Thanks again to all, so happy to have your support and encouragement!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Update, first few hours it was definitely a little loud in the coop. Next morning everyone woke up and started their morning without any concerns. Thanks again to all, so happy to have your support and encouragement!

Broody hens are AWESOME!!!