Introducing one hen to flock of chicks

[Mozie92]

So I had an unfortunate event happen this week. I had a small flock of five chickens. A neighbors dog broke into my yard, then into the coop. He got all but one of my chickens. The fence has been repaired, and the coop. My co worker gave me four little bared rock chicks today. As if right now they are in a brooder inside.
The question is, how should I introduce the chicks, to the one lone hen?

 

[MattCopeland]

If the chicks are fully feathered and old enough to be out of the brooder they should be fine to just put in the pen with her. Since there is five of them they out number her and shouldn't be a problem

 

[aart]

If the chicks are fully feathered and old enough to be out of the brooder they should be fine to just put in the pen with her. Since there is five of them they out number her and shouldn't be a problem

Ummm, no....numbers don't trump age/maturity. It might work but hen could also kill every one of those chicks.

As if right now they are in a brooder inside.
The question is, how should I introduce the chicks, to the one lone hen?

Welcome to BYC @Mozie92 ...sorry you're having troubles.
How old are your new chicks?
Where are you located? Climate can make a big difference.

There's a lot of ways to integrate new birds/chicks. Usually best to do it it slowly.
Can depend on how your coop is set up, but adding new birds works best with some extra separate but adjacent space. Here's how I add chicks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Here's some integration tips:
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[chickens really]

Yes..Follow @aart
Great information given. Best wishes.

 

[rebrascora]

I agree that @aarts post is comprehensive and an excellent guide to the process.
As regards the

It's all about territory and resources

You can try adding the hen to the chicks territory so that she is the interloper so to speak and the chicks are on home ground as that may put the hen at a slight disadvantage and thereby level the playing field a little, but there needs to be plenty of space for them all and extra food and water stations, so if you have a small brooder forget it and be prepared to monitor the situation closely.

 

[Mrs. K]

Lock the hen out of the coop /run, put the chicks in the coop/run with hideouts and safe zones. Chase them around a bit, so they find them, leave them there for several hours, if you need to lock the hen in the brooder. The next day, do it again and in the late afternoon let the hen back in and supervise. If the chicks can get out of her reach, to a place of safety, they will do fine. I agree with the other poster, having more chicks to one hen, is an advantage.

Lattice paneling can section off a corner, where the older hen cannot follow, a pallet on cement blocks can give a retreat. Small walls with multiple feed stations. Be aware, Aart is right, she could kill them all. But I think with some safe zones, it is not a big risk.

Mrs K

 

[jay873]

I had the same problem as him and the hen pecked them once and they learned to stay away. and safety in numbers does work cause she can't single a chick out and keep pecking it and kill it when there are 5. as long as you have a good amount of space in the coop and the chicks are atleast a month old you are fine. And since she's the only hen she might actually enjoy the chicks rather than being alone. And if she's alone for a while they really become aggressive the sooner the better.

But the slow integration stuff I've never done that but if they say it works it probably does also