Mixed age flock

BreezyChKn

Chirping
Jun 10, 2021
17
83
79
Background:
We had 8 chicken hens and 2 male guineas, who were all raised together from babies. All free range during the day and return to the coop to roost at night (we have an acre of "yard" and then hundreds of acres of fields).
2 chickens went broody and we got them eggs, moving them into a separate coop adjacent to the original coop. 1st chicken, a buff orp named Banana, had 3 chicks and she integrated back into the flock with zero issues (chicks are now 4 weeks old and doing great). She even decided on her own to move them back into the big coop at night.
The 2nd hen, an easter egger named Maisee, went broody at the same time as Banana. We tried everything to break her broodiness, but nothing worked so we got her some eggs. She hatched out 6 fluffy balls (3 weeks after Banana hatched hers and integrated back into the flock) just a week ago.

Now the problem:
I have allowed Maisee to bring out her chicks if she wants, when I am there to supervise. As soon as I open the door and another chicken gets close, she puffs up (I get it, she is protecting the babies) and the other chickens and one of the guineas attack her. I end up separating her back into the small coop with the chicks because I dont want the chicks to get trampled, she is clearly stressed out, and she is being picked on.

What should I do?
How do I help her integrate with the flock when she is bringing these 6 tiny chicks with her?
How long do I wait?
 

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If they're already hostile, you might not be able to integrate them while the chicks are still small. I would try again at about 8 weeks when they are bigger and can fend for themselves a bit. At that age, the hen will be less concerned with them as well.
 

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