Integrating broody hen and babies

[rustytb2001]

I just built a new coop and run, last night I put my 4 hen and roo in, so today is their first day in the new coop. I have a broody hen with five, month old peeps,and my husband thought it would be a good time to add them to the flock. They're all bantams and the coop is 8x10 and the run is 18x18. Would now be the time to put them all together since it's new territory for all? Mommy hen is still mothering them also

 

[trailrider330]

Welcome to the BYC flock and congratulations on your first post.

Wow! Your broody hen is still mothering 5 month old pullets and cockerels??? Does this mean she has not gone back to laying eggs yet?

If the "chicks" are truly 5 months old then the sooner you can integrate them the better, however, I would still recommend doing it gradually. Check this post out for ways to go about that. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/351702/when-to-integrate-chicks-into-existing-flock. You can also search "integration" on BYC for additional comments. But, the generally agreed upon way is to start with the "look but don't touch" method where they can see each other for a bit and get used to each other, before allowing them to actually be in the same area without a barrier between them.

Good luck!

 

[rustytb2001]

Sorry for the miss understanding, she has 5 peeps that are 4 weeks old. Since she was still so protective still is the only reason I was considering it now

 

[kittychic]

hi have just tried this today and one of my hens is attacking the mother so am not putting them together.i have put a see through fence between them so will see what happens tomorrow

 

[trailrider330]

Sorry for the misunderstanding on the ages of the chicks. I misread it.

I would still say the sooner you can integrate the better; however, I would try the "look but don't touch" method for about one week before putting them all in together. Your broody hen will definitely need to re-establish her pecking order within the flock so there may be a little squabbling. Did your broody hen show a lot of protectiveness (puffing up, getting in between her chicks and the other chickens, etc.) with her chicks when you tried put them all in together? If so, that is a good sign.

 

[song of joy]

I would integrate them now, while she's still protective of them. Provide extra feeders and waterers to reduce conflicts and competition. If the broody was mid- or upper-level in the pecking order, she should be able to hold her own and protect her chicks from the other flock members. It may also be helpful to have "safe zones" within the coop and run. For example, wooden pallets or boards elevated approximately 6" above the ground.

If she and the chicks have not been visible to the rest of the flock over the past month, you'll probably need a week or so of "look but don't touch", with a fence separating hen and chicks from the flock.

Best of luck to you.

 

[rustytb2001]

For being a first time mother, she's down right mean. She puffs up at me and even had a go at me for picking up a peep. I've renamed her henzilla lol. But before I moved her and her eggs she was low in the pecking order. Hubby's going to enclose me off a spot in the coop and do the look but don't touch for a week or two. Thank you for the help.