blending flocks- is my plan a good one?

[Poupoulles]

Several things happened at once.
-We built a new coop.
-we received a new batch of 15 layers to "refresh" the gene pool here on the farm
-a fox came and massacred 6/11 adult layers leaving four hens and the rooster
-3 of the survivors have gone broody

Goal: everyone living in the safe new coop, with a safe new yard, peace and tranquility and lots of eggs,

How on earth do I achieve this goal?!?!
I have the biddies out of the brooder and in a fenced off area in the new coop. (they are 5 weeks old)
What do I do about the broodies? I would like one of them to hatch her eggs the other two need to just get over it.
how long do I keep everyone locked in the new coop (very spacious bright and airy) for them to see it as "home"?

HELP!!

 

[Komaki]

If they are broody and hatch thier own chicks, everything should be fine. The hen will defend them.

 

[Mrs. K]

ugh!!! I hate this part. But you will be back in the egg business part of it soon.

It is just my opinion, but I think it is better to put the biddie hen and chicks with the flock as soon as possible, if you have some obstacles and hideouts in your run. The younger the chicks, the more vigorously the mama hen will defend the chicks, as they get older, they are more on their own. What I have observed is that the integration is a two way street. The chicks need to learn to stay out of reach, just as much if not more so than the older hens need to let them be. With a mama hen to run interference, they can learn that lesson a bit more safely. Mine learned early to keep mama between them and the other hens so as to be out of reach. I start mixing mine about 3 days old, but I start off with free range, and a lot of space.

I just read on here, that an ice pack under a chicken kept in her favorite nest, will cure broodiness, but you may have to change it twice a day or so for a couple of days.

good luck
MrsK

 

[Poupoulles]

Should I move the broodies to the new coop? CAn I move one of them WITH her eggs? Will she stay broody in a new place? And will the other two "snap out of it" if I move them to the new place w/o their eggs?
The biddies they hatch I am not too worried about, the mama in question will be a good one. But the ones I got through the mail are five weeks now, out of the brooder but in the new coop in a separate area so the new and old can see each other but not interact. Of course since the massacre the 5 week olds outnumber the older hens by a 3/1 ratio...