Hi,
@tonbetter!
Your hen and baby chicks are absolutely adorable!
There are a couple of factors to consider when you start planning on integrating the chicks and their mom back into the flock.
For example, are all of your chickens very gentle and sweet, or are a few of them more prone to being aggressive?
If some of your chickens are more aggressive, you'll want to keep a good eye on them when you introduce the babies, because while some of your chickens might be more than happy with the new members, some of them could possibly injure or kill the chicks if aggravated.
That said, the first time my hen hatched a chick, I let the two of them sit in a separate area in the coop for several days. On the warmer days, I let the rest of the flock free-range while I let mamma and her baby explore the coop and run.
I then started to free-range the two with the rest of the flock while under supervision, and then placed them back in their separate area for nighttime.
Eventually, they were sleeping in the coop with the rest of the birds! (Although, disclaimer - now the chick and her mom are back in the separate area, as more siblings hatched and I want to keep the younger ones safe!
)
While it's good to keep in mind the age, I feel that there are a few other things to remember.
- Weather - is it really cold or wet? The mamma and babies may want to focus on staying warm and safe without worrying about bullies in the flock. Try to keep the little ones separate until environmental factors don't play a role in their well-being, as the elements can make them more vulnerable.
- Food - make sure that there is plenty of food to go around - if you feed your flock with just one dish, consider putting more dishes around the run so that everyone has access. Additionally, consider offering All-Flock or Flock-Raiser when your babies are still little, instead of Layer Feed. The reason behind this is that the calcium in Layer Feed can damage a chick's kidney. All-Flock or something similar is a great alternative until the chicks start laying, as everyone in the flock can eat it - you just might want to offer a calcium supplement, such as oyster shell, to your laying hens in a separate dish.
- Space - your chickens will feel a lot more at ease if they have some space to move around! (Because you're free-ranging, this shouldn't be a problem.) Additionally, consider making a safe space for your babies to run to for shelter if there's a bully.
- Temperament - as mentioned, you may have a couple of birds that are more aggressive. Try to introduce the chicks to them when the flock isn't hungry or bored, and make sure that they have lots of space. I've found that sometimes, members in my flock will be more grumpy on certain days, and then I refrain from letting the newbies mingle with them. It's okay if the time they spend together isn't consistent, especially at first! For example, on warm, sunny days when my flock is free-ranging, I like to let the chicks out with them. But on days when it's cold, or the flock is more aggravated, I let them have a break and keep the babies inside.
- Health - Are any of your chicks sick, or do they have any abnormalities? You might want to keep them separate until they're stronger and healthier, as weak birds can be a target for bullying.
I do have to apologize - I didn't realize that I was going to write so much! But, in a summary of your situation, I would wait until it's a nice, pleasant day outside. When the birds are all fed, maybe in the afternoon, let them out to free-range with the chicks, and keep a close eye on them. You may want to let the chicks free-range with mamma without the older birds, just so they can get used to the great unknown.
You may notice the older hens coming up to visit the chicks, or investigating them. They might even give a light peck. That's alright. However, if any of them start to peck more aggressively, or attack in general, remove the adult bird from the situation and make sure that the little ones are okay. If the rest of the birds are fine with them, however, let them continue to free-range, just keeping the aggressive one separate.
I would recommend doing this for multiple days, when possible. If the chickens seem to be receptive to the new members, consider slowly introducing them into the run (If you have one). Keep a close eye on them, and make sure that they have a safe spot to go to if needed. I recommend, once again, doing this in the afternoon, when the rest of the flock isn't hungry and grumpy. If they seem okay with this, you could then start letting them out in the morning with them. However, if you have any suspicion of bullying, don't leave them alone with the flock.
Eventually, you can start putting them to bed in the coop - although not encouraged in older birds, you could let the mamma and her babies sleep in a separate nesting box, or something similar, and then let them out in the morning with the rest of the flock. There may be some squabbles, but it should work out in the end.
Of course, some flocks are very receptive, and some people can have the chicks sleeping in the coop on the same night the flock meets them! It all depends on how the flock reacts to new members. See how your flock does with them, and adjust the plan accordingly.
Regarding age, I think that once they start to have feathers coming in is a good time. Depending on the breed, the weather, and the temperament of the rest of your flock, I think you could start introducing as early as one week to three weeks.
Once again, I'm sorry that this was such a long post! I hope you found it helpful in some way, and best of luck!
