I need help! Putting mother back with the flock with babies?

[Chew593]

So the hens started picking on poor Axel yesterday after a couple weeks in the run. I've moved him back into the house for some R&R. His Broody mama became smitten with the roo again and quit paying attention to him. I guess sometimes it works, others it doesn't. I'm glad he didn't get 'scalped' but he was pecked pretty badly. Lesson learned. He'll be moved to the adolescent pen as soon as he's recouperated.

 

[Bookworm chick]

Here's my experience: The pullet from last year hatched the 7 chicks in a broody "coop within the coop". They could see each other but not "touch". At 2 weeks I introduced the family to the rest of the flock for about 4 hours/day. At 3 weeks I integrated the hen and chicks, dawn to dusk. She still took her chicks into her broody pen for the night and I shut them in and let them out in the morning with the rest. All went well.
However, this mother was 2nd from the top in the pecking order. She was very aggressive in protecting her chicks and there was no mishaps.
Currently I have another pullet, first-time mother, with one chick (felt sorry for her because she was relentlessly broody). However, she's about 5th or 6th in the pecking order of 9 ladies. I'm not planning on integrating her for awhile. Certainly not at 3 weeks. I plan on playing it by ear.
The flock seems to get along well as long as they all "know their place". I just don't want to risk the chick being injured and dying.
I also have another broody but she's also low on the totem pole so I plan on breaking her.

 

[Chew593]

You make an excellent point. My broody is in the middle pecking-order wise. She had 3 babies at first (one was accidently ran over, one just dissappeared while free ranging I'm thinking hawk or dog) With only 1 baby left and the broody no longer interested in 'mothering' Axel was on his own way to early. Good news is he's doing fine and spoiled rotten in my laundry room.

 

[dumb_cluck]

I'd leave them together and not separate for any length of time. Chickens (and ducks) have a short memory span when it comes to the pecking order.

I tried introducing my adopted duck to the "flock"and he was immediately attacked. The same applies for chickens. They all need ORDER.