How and when to get chicken raising a clutch back to laying eggs.

[Castlemaid]

The chicks are now four weeks old. At night, they are in their own coop with Mama, and during the day they free range, never straying far from the coop with Mom looking after them. When I let them out of their coops in the morning, the established flock heads off in one direction, and Momma and chicks head off in another. The other chickens will pick on the babies, so they do need to be kept separated from the rest until how long? I'm also very keen to have Mama chicken get back to egg laying as I only have four layers, and missing one layer is keenly felt, as thrilled as I am bout the chicks.

Will Mama chicken chase the chicks away and re-integrate the flock on her own when the chicks are older (when is that? When they are about six weeks old?), or do I need to separate her and her chicks to get her back to laying? Baby chicks will be kept in their own coop at any rate until they are old enough to not be picked on.

 

[sourland]

Hens wean their chicks after varying time periods. Many even restart laying while raising chicks. Setting physically depletes a hen and it takes her time to rebuild her strength/health. She will lay when she regains strength.

 

[aart]

Best to leave mama and chicks with the flock, they can figure out how to stay away from their superiors on their own once mama weans them.
Make sure they all have plenty of space and some hiding places for the chicks.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Chances are the broody mama will molt before she lays again.

 

[Castlemaid]

Thank you all for your replies. As it turns out, this evening Mama retired to the flock coop and joined the others on the top perch her five chicks. I've been impressed with the chicks having made their way up to the top roost with the mom and snuggling in under her wings and sitting on her back. I guess they are ready for it then.