reintroducing hen back after babies hatched

[kittychic]

I had a broody hen i then got 2 babies which she has been mothering really well.she has been in a separate pen for 3 weeks from my other 2 hens. i am now trying to get her back with my other 2 hens but one of the others keep fighting her.i have a very large outdoor area which is fenced off from the garden.The mother is sleeping separate with the chicks.
Am i ever going to be able to get them back together as they did get on well before. The one attacking her is actually a chick she had mothered which is now over a year old.

 

[LoveThemBirds]

Yes you cna

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had the same problem this spring, I would let her out and her sister kept attacking her, I would let them out for a bit than put them back in the pen, did this for three days than let them out and let them work it out, after about four or five days of drama things calmed down. As long as no one is drawing blood let them do what they need to do, grit your teeth to the screaming, good luck.

 

[aart]

Had a lower ranking hen brood a bunch this winter, when I took down the separation wall mama got into 3 hellacious fights with 3 formerly higher ranking hens.
Rooster couldn't break them up, so I did once blood was drawn. Eventually they worked it out, there was still some scuffling but it never was as intense as the first times.
Mama seemed to enjoy her new status and was quite the bully after that.

Oh and the chicks were never in danger during these scuffles but stayed near their nest....fight was strictly between the hens.

Lots of room and multiple feed/water stations for the hens might help...and I set up a feed/water station that only the chicks could access.

 

[donrae]

some fighting is normal when you re-introduce birds. As long as the winner allows the loser to run away and doesn't chase relentlessly, or draw blood, it's okay.