is this normal behavior?

[mamadukes5]

I have five hens and one rooster that are 9 months old, and I hatched 7 chicks 3 weeks ago. Two days ago, I moved the chicks out to the porch in a dog crate/brooder, because they aren't fully feathered yet and dh is putting the finishing touches on their new coop. The babies were chirping right inside the door to the back porch, and all 6 of my bigger birds came running in the door, lined up next to the crate and stood there for a good five minutes just staring at the babies. I thought for a minute they were going to try to peck them through the bars, but they didn't. They just stood there watching. My roo, Herman, even ignored the dog who he usually avoids like the plague just to pace back and forth next to the cage and give the babies the once over. Is this something chickens usually do or are my birds weird?

 

[LittleChickenLady]

That's not weird. They're just checking them out.
But no matter how much they don't seem like they mind the new babies, DO NOT let them out together.
The older ones will more than likely peck the babies and hurt them, and could possibly kill them.

I've made that mistake.

Luckily mine was rescued before any damage had been done.

 

[briter30]

Well, I don't know if this help any but I have 3 Easter Egger chickens. I just got three new chickens (smaller and younger) and put them inside our run area inside an EX-Large dog crate. My three original chickens paced around the cage and stared at them. Then all three would jump on top of the cage and stare at the new chickens. A day later I let the chickens out of the crate to see what would happen and my original chickens "jumped" the other chickens pecking and pulling out chicken feathers. Needless to say, we are going to slowly reintroduce the new chickens in.

I would be very careful. Sounds like to me they are ready to get them!

 

[mamadukes5]

I won't let them out together, one of my bigger reds is mean to anyone she thinks is encroaching on her territory. The babies are staying on the porch until all of their feathers come in, and my dh is building yet another, bigger coop that the babies will stay in for the winter while the bigger birds stay in their house. By spring time, the babies will be the same size and I'll try to get them all in the same coop.
My birds do not generally come inside my porch at all, although they did stand outside and look in the windows when the babies were chirping as they hatched, it just struck me funny because they came running across the yard and came right inside when they heard them there.