Introducing pullets into an existing flock

[North feather]

My existing flock were raised in an incubator so none of them have gone broody. So when my neighbor asked if I wanted her hen to raise chicks for me I jumped at the idea. I want imprinted chicks who will go broody themselves. So today I picked up my 6 week old chicks and put them in a separate pen within the larger pen that my existing flock are in - sort of a safe place where they can be introduced to the flock without getting hurt. I had to go into town for a bit and when I got back it was dark and I went to check on the chicks. There were zero in the pen! They had all escaped! So I went looking for them. They were all in with the big chickens - all in various places in the roost. I put four of them back in the safe enclosure that I had built for them but one was so cute - she was cuddled up to a hen on the top rung of the roost happy as can be. So I left her there. They were with their mother just this morning and they think of hens as all being friendly. I am wondering if I did the right thing leaving her there or will the other chickens hurt her before I get a chance to let them all out in the morning?

 

[Pork Pie]

If she's their with momma, she should be just fine. When I've used a broody hen, I've left momma to take responsibility of looking after her off-spring. Some members don't do this, based on their own experience of chick-based aggression. It's more a case of observing what happens. If the chicks were happy to mix with the older birds, I'd imagine that things are fine. I'd simply advise that you supervise, once you let the mingle.

It may be useful for you to know that the propensity of a hen to go broody has nothing to do with whether it was hatched under a hen or in an incubator - it's a function of breed. You could, for example hatch a Silkie in an incubator, and it will go broody. Alternatively, try hatching a commercial hybrid layer under a broody and it will never be broody (99.9% of the time).

 

[aart]

I am wondering if I did the right thing leaving her there or will the other chickens hurt her before I get a chance to let them all out in the morning?

I'd have left them all in there, if they got on the roosts they may be just fine.....but check first thing in the morning. Sometimes integrating tiny chicks goes pretty smooth as they are not a threat to the big birds.