Integrating chicks

[Cprice1967]

First time letting a broody hatch and raise chicks has been such an amazing experience. I absolutely love it!
I had norma in the coop while broody, and she took her babies out the 2nd day after hatch into the run ( no free range) with the flock (5 other hens) .After maybe 1 hr a hen attacked a chick and I had to rescue it. I seporated the attacker in hopes of keep the majority of flock together. Within an hr another hen attacked the same chick. ( he limped for 3 days and made a full recovery ...thank God) So I seporated mama and babies from the flock.
They are now 4 weeks old. They are in very large runs joined by a walk way. The adult flock can interact with mama and chicks through wire. I'm wondering when I can introduce mama and chicks with the flock? I was hoping in a time frame mama would still be teaching and protective. But I am concerned my main girls may attack again if they are too young/ small. My hens are large, the chicks are silkie and polish (5 chicks) .
Thanks for any suggestions/ advice

 

[chickens really]

Do it today so Momma helps with the complete integration and will protect them from others..She will wean them soon and then you won't have Momma to help.

 

[doublecrossranch]

How did the integration go?

 

[Cprice1967]

How did the integration go?

I was worried the little silkies n polish were too small to defend themselves at 4 weeks. So I let mama back with the main flock when the chicks were 5 weeks and kept the chicks seporate until today, they r 12 weeks old now. A few feather ruffling , then the 2 groups stayed mostly seporate with the big girls coming over to visit the littles once in awhile. Went fairly well. Now I'm going to let them get acquainted for a couple weeks and if the littles dont go in the big coop at night I will close their little coop up n try to push everyone in 1 coop. The big coop is beautiful, and spacious and sturdy. The little nursery coop wont be as cozy in bad weather.