Week-old chicks…now other hen has gone broody

[cncurtis13]

We have a small flock of three hens and a rooster and are letting the hens hatch and raise their own chicks. We have three chicks being raised by two hens (they shared a nesting box and seem to be co-parenting well). The chicks are a week old. The other hen has now gone broody in a different coop within the same run and if hers hatch, the current chicks would be four-weeks-old by that time. Should I be worried about this age gap? Should I separate any new chicks born with their mama? The co-parent mamas have a different coop (dog crate) than the now broody hen and rooster.

 

[GodLovesU]

I have kept chicks that were probably about that far apart in age together in a brooder. My concern would be the rooster though.

 

[cncurtis13]

UPDATE: No issues whatsoever. The smaller two chicks run circles around the three older pullets. Everyone gets along. Even the rooster doesn’t seem to notice them.

 

[Perris]

Even the rooster doesn’t seem to notice them.

He notices them. He will have imprinted on them. He will look out for them as he does for the rest of his flock. He may even tidbit for them if you're lucky.

Sorry I missed your initial post, but really glad you went ahead and left them be, and it all worked out so well.