Look don’t touch question

[CrockChickens9]

After we lost 4 chickens to a bear attack at the end of summer I purchased 4 new chicks (2 light Brahmas, 2 Sapphire Olive Eggers) to eventually join our two remaining girls (black australorp and buff orp). The big girls are now about 26 weeks. The chicks are almost 7 weeks old. At 5 weeks we started the chicks in the run in an enclosed area for look don’t touch integration. They sleep in a large brooder in our garage but we move them out every morning and move them back in the evening. Since we started this our australorp has been pretty obsessed with them. Pacing around their enclosure and pecking out feathers if they rest with their backs to close to the cage. They know to stay away from her and I put the food and water well away from the edges of the enclosure so the chicks are not caught off guard. Our buff orp couldn’t care less and pays no attention at all to them. Just wondering since it’s been 2 weeks almost when the australorp may settle and if this is a bad sign for integration? I can see it stresses her but I’m trying to be consistent so it becomes the new normal. Is it easier to add 4 to 2 existing or does this make the older hens feel more defensive because there are so many? I should mention one of the chicks (light Brahma) is a questionable cockerel that doesn't scatter when she comes around. Any insight would be appreciated!
Thank you!

 

[CrockChickens9]

Sorry I know the big ones are pullets not hens yet!

 

[Kiki]

Do you have enough room in your coop/run to leave the brooder at all times instead of moving it?
Pictures of the set up would give us a better idea of what areas your working with.

 

[CrockChickens9]

 

[CrockChickens9]

I leave the cage in there all the time. Just move the chicks. It feels tight in there but the big girls free range at times too.

 

[Kiki]

View attachment 3969134

Leave it there instead of moving it.

 

[Kiki]

I leave the cage in there all the time. Just move the chicks. It feels tight in there but the big girls free range at times too.

Leave the chicks in there too.

 

[CrockChickens9]

I never move the cage. Just move the chicks in in the morning and out at night to the garage. Leave them there overnight? They spend the whole day there.

 

[CrockChickens9]

I guess I’m just pretty curious if this is typical behavior or if she will likely be an issue with them for a while? First time doing this! Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

At 2 weeks of look but no touch she should be used to seeing them and ignoring them, but some hens are more fixated than others.

I'd look at cluttering up the run to break up the space: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140 - hopefully keeps her a bit distracted from just staring at the chicks all the time. Since the cage is taking up a bit of room it'll be harder to work around it, but you can always move items around once the cage is out of there.