Newbie with hen/chick behavior question

[bantychick]

Just got three teenager banties (5-6 week olds) and one mama with a 5 day old chick. They had all been living together in a HUGE coop/pen/run, and now moved to my smaller one at home. I kept them all enclosed in the coop from about 4:00pm yesterday til this morning so they would know this was their return/safe place. I let them out this morning, but the mama hen is picking on the older three. She seem to run them out of the coop right away. Is this establishing pecking order? or should I be concerned. I did go out and make sure they can go up the ramp back into the coop, but she bullied them out again.
They survived the night together okay and I've seen them all eat and of course POOP. Any thoughts or opinions would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[LynneP]

I'm wondering if you can offer the new ones a shelter, even a cardboard box that they can enter but which is too small for the hen to enter. Or something similar. They have to establish their pecking order, but you can't risk having the youngsters bloodied.

 

[bantychick]

Thanks!
I went out and put a smaller cardboard box in the coop and I put them inside. They seem to like that. I put the food and water inbetween them and where the mama seems to be nesting. I hope this helps. I suppose if the mama kept being mean I could bring her an baby inside.

 

[FLchook]

It could be shes an over protective mom, or just reminding the others thats "this might be a new house, but im still boss." They box should help, that will give them a place to run to when the big bully start running.