Bantams, babies, and existing flock.

[Henrybetta]

Ok, so I hate that I had to start yet another thread for this question but I can't find the answer anywhere and I am nervous.

The here's the situation: I got some bantam cochin x ee, shortly after, my hen went broody. So now I have broody looking after 4 1 week old chicks inside the coop. (She hasn't taken them outside yet.) I also have 3 or 4 - 10 week old bantam chicks I would like to move to the big coop. They are all on chick starter because mu broody will take food from the big feeder and sprinkle it on the ground for her babies.

Would my bantam chicks hurt the week old babies or would it stress my broody out to introduce new birds right now while she's mothering? If so, how long would you wait? I am just not sure what the right thing is. There turned out to be one full size ee cockerel with the bantams and he's a bully so not only am I trying to find somewhere separate for him, but I have another separated because he was injured. It would be great if instead of moving him, I could move the rest of them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You mother hen should look after her own kids in a mixed flock, she might peck the older ones occasionally, but shouldn't hurt them, I would certainly try it, watching them a bit see how it goes, I find introducing chicks to a flock works out best when they are younger, if you wait too long they won't be seen as chicks and the adults will be a bit more harsh, but when they are younger the older birds assume they belong to someone, and don't harass them much