Reintroducing a Broody and Babes...

[sarahs31]

At what stage shall I start reintroducing a broody with chicks. She's extremely protective and I'm not sure when I can put her back in the main coop. I've got her seperated from the main group in a tractor which is divided by chicken wire between her brood and 25 chicks that are two weeks older than hers. I thought I'd try mixing them but taking down the divider but she was pretty mean to the older chicks. Any ideas? I'm afraid she's going to either terrorize the older chicks or even kill them. Should I wait a couple more weeks to put her and babies back in the coop or just move her. Really would rather her have raise them as the chicks are so far ahead of the others in scratching and foraging.

 

[debilorrah]

Are you keeping the chicks?

 

[sarahs31]

probably

 

[debilorrah]

In order to keep the rest of the flock from huring the chicks, I would take them inside and stick the mom out with the flock. Raise the chicks to the right size and do the while integration thing.

 

[cmom]

The sooner you integrate the chicks with your other chicks the better. The older they get their will be more pecking. Also, I would put mom out with the rest of the flock.