Introducing the chicks to the flock

[Finelyfound]

My chicks are 5wks old and are living in a separate "room" inside the coop. Our coops is a 12x12 horse stall converted to a coop. We built a 4x6 room inside with wire walls so everyone can see each other. I'm pretty sure my chicks are still too young to move into the main coop. My questions are: 1. When do you usually introduce your chicks into the flock and how? I have heard they need to be at least half the size of a full grown chicken. 2. My broody is laying again and even though she is sweet and easy is starting to get annoyed at being locked up with the kids. Should I put her back in with the flock? I was thinking that introducing the chicks with the broody would give them some extra protection even though she is at the bottom of the pecking order. This is my first time doing this and I only got seven chicks this hatch so I don't want to lose any of them. There is no rooster in my flock, but I do have a coupled of aggressive hens. I would love to know what has worked for others. Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Let your broody and chicks into the flock again. I never totally separate them, just fence them off for a week or two. I integrate chicks I brood from 4-8 weeks of age. How easy or hard it goes depends on your set up and size of it.

Generally you pen within sight of the flock for a week or so so everyone can see them and get used to them, than you begins supervised mingling, separating them out if it gets too rough, try again the next day until everyone tolerates each other and the chicks know to stay away from the adults.