3 mothers, 11 chicks, not enough space

[billmac]

I have 3 mother hens, one with 7 chicks, and 2 with 2 each. Their ages are spaced about a week and a half apart. I've penned them to keep them safe from our cats, but I've also penned them separately to keep them safe from each other. But the second two are in very small kennels. I have a questions.

1. I know this is hard to answer, but our cats are not a danger to our chickens. Any guess as to when the chicks will be big enough to go out in the general population? The first chicks are about 5 inches high.
2. I have read that multiple mothers and chicks should not be housed together, that one mother may attack another's chicks. When does this stop being a concern?
Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Silkylover12]

Answer to question 1: When your chicks are close to maybe 2-3 months it's okay to put them with the rest of your chickens. How old are your chickens?

Answer to question 2: It's definitely not unheard of. You should probably separate them until you feel comfortable knowing they can defend their own.

Hope this helps!