Reintroducing mama hen to flock

[meetthebubus]

I have a new mana hen with one chick 3 weeks old. While trying to hatch she stayed in the nest area and went out for breaks with everyone, some even came in the same box to lay beside her. Right before hatch i enclosed her area with hardware cloth she could be seen both in the nest areas and out in the run bc of the fencing to protect the chick.

I started letting her out once a day while holding the chick so she could integrate as normal and these past 2 days there has been lots of fighting with feet kicking, etc.

I assume it's bc she expects to be in the same pecking spot and now everyone wants her on the bottom bc she doesn't roost with them for 6 weeks now.

But it is bad although no blood is drawn and there is a roo who stops the fights most times.

My plan is to move baby and her into a enclosure that's not in the building but actual run where she can better interact and be seen kind of like a re-integration as I've seen reintroduction fights with only a 48 hour separation time line....chicken life is tough

Any other tips is welcomed..... and this particular flock is 20 ee's

 

[azygous]

Your plan sounds like a good one. It's very similar to what I've done in the past, and it's seemed to work well. Don't discount that the mama hen is still a force to be reckoned with, since her broody hormones pretty much give her super powers. Most chickens, though annoyed with a broody hen, don't relish tangling with her.

 

[aart]

Had broody that was mid ranking, separated by wire to set and hatch, took barrier down 2 weeks after hatch...there were 3 hellacious fights between mama and 3 other birds when mama partook of main feeder, chicks stayed in floor nest and never really were a target. Was almost funny, they'd hang onto each others combs and not let go, like girls fighting with each others hair clenched in hands. Cock couldn't break them up so I did, there was some comb bloodying, but that was about the end of it, everyone pretty much went about their business after that. That mama relished in her new found skill of intimidation and status for quite some time even after she weaned the chicks.
I say let them work it out, rather than separate and have to integrate again later.