I have two mums with 2 5 week old chicks each.. can i put them all together now?

[LittleD]

I would like to put the two mothers and their chicks either together in one coop or back to the main flock (which is only 2 cockerels and 1 hen at present). Not sure what will happen when the mums meet.. or the chicks meet.. any thoughts on the best way to getting back to one flock?!?!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Might work, might not. I separated a pen into two sections---a mom and chicks in each section. One hen dusting dug a hole big enough that some of the chicks from one side went into the other side----that hen killed everyone of them----7 chicks leaving her only 2----I feel if the killers chicks had of went into the other side that hen probably would have not killed them? Its Just according to the hen and the chickens in the main flock---if you go that way----sure the Mom will fight to protect her babies, but I have had some seriously hurt Mom's trying to protect them(got their tail hipped) when mixed with the Flock. So if you do either----just gotta sit and watch----keep a eye and ear open.

Needless to say "I" do not do either anymore. Good Luck

 

[Petra Pancake]

It's probably different in each case, but I just had a problem with integrating my second mom with chicks. One (the first) mom with chicks that are 4 weeks old was with the flock all the time, even while sitting on the eggs, and is doing mostly fine. The second mom was separated in a dog cage with her 2 weeks old chicks but I started letting her out. She was in a separate area but found her way back to the main coop and flock. And she started a horrible fight with the other chickens, attacking everything that moved. I've never seen something like that - she was just a hissing and growling ball of feathers with beak and claws tearing in all directions. She attacked all the other hens including the other mom and the rooster. I was afraid that she had killed the chicks of the other hen but I found them later, shell-shocked and huddled in a hiding place. I had to take her out by force (wearing thick gloves) and threw her back into the dog cage. Then I scooped up her chicks one by one and put them back in with her. Now I'm building a second small run just for her because I'm not going to re-integrate her any time soon.