Too many momma hens

[kimthom66]

I have a situation where 5 of my bantam hens went broody at the same time...the first two were setting on 9 eggs between them and turned out only 1 was viable and hatched. The same day that hatched I was able to get 4 newly hatched bantams and placed them under the hens and they took to them great. They were in a separate grow out pen and all seemed to go well until...I moved them back into the big coop where I still had three broody hens to give them more space. Since the broody hens were still setting on eggs they didn't bother the new moms much. Then one of the two moms started laying eggs again and she was getting picked on by the other momma so I moved her back out to the grow-out coop with the rooster and one other non broody bantam.

Now fast forward a week and the other 2 of the 3 remaining broody hens started hatching and now everyone is fighting again...I am out of room and ways to separate them. Do I let them figure this out on their own? During the day I separate them in the run area with the 5 older chicks on one side and the moms with the 3 younger chicks on the side of the run with access to the coop but when I move the partition so they can go to roost in the evening there is issues...

I'm thinking of moving the mom with the 5, (she is the meanest of the moms) back into the small grow-out coop and move the rooster with two other hens back in with the two moms? This is all so confusing I apologize but any suggestions for harmony I am all ears!

 

[red horse ranch]

Just keep trying different ways until you find what works. A small coop is fine for a broody hen with chicks. They don't need that much space.
Most of the roosters that I've had have been good with chicks. It's the other hens that cause problems with a broody and her chicks.

 

[chickens really]

Too many hormonal Mommas protective of Chicks. I put mine into the Flock with Momma at 3 to 5 days old. I never keep separated.