When to move a broody away from chicks?

[CITYS84]

My broody and 6 week chicks have a tight bond, and the chicks are all feathered and doing great.

I’m integrating my adult chickens this weekend and I’m inclined to add the broody in now so she’s not the only one in a few weeks time.

Is that ok? She won’t be happy about it and neither will the chicks, but I think it may reduce conflict in the long run and the chicks are all confident and capable.

 

[Sussex19]

Sorry, I think I'm not quite understanding the situation.
Why not just integrate both broody and chicks at the same time?
But yes, you can separate the chicks now, if you want to. With most of my hens they would have weened them by now anyway, so after a day or to upset clucking, she should go back to normal

 

[CITYS84]

Sorry, I think I'm not quite understanding the situation.
Why not just integrate both broody and chicks at the same time?
But yes, you can separate the chicks now, if you want to. With most of my hens they would have weened them by now anyway, so after a day or to upset clucking, she should go back to normal

I think the chicks will be attacked by the bigger hens, I was going to keep the chicks together as I think they’ll be fine together without mum now, but just wanted to check. Broody can go in with the other adults and start laying again. I was going to wait til chicks are 16-18 weeks old to integrate them into the flock, they include a rooster so they should be able to fend for themselves by then. Do you think it’s better to keep mum with the chicks til they are 16-18 weeks and put them all in together? Thank you

 

[CITYS84]

I suppose I’m thinking broody will have a higher place in the pecking order if she goes in now when the adult group is establishing. She was the lowest place in the order last flock she was in.

 

[Sussex19]

I think the chicks will be attacked by the bigger hens, I was going to keep the chicks together as I think they’ll be fine together without mum now, but just wanted to check. Broody can go in with the other adults and start laying again. I was going to wait til chicks are 16-18 weeks old to integrate them into the flock, they include a rooster so they should be able to fend for themselves by then. Do you think it’s better to keep mum with the chicks til they are 16-18 weeks and put them all in together? Thank you

Ok, I've got it now.
What you are thinking of doing sounds like the best plan, I think.
Both she and the chicks should be totally fine after a day or two of adjustment.

And no, I don't thinking keeping them together for that long would be a good idea, I think mum would soon get totally fed up of babying a bunch of teenagers!

In the future, you could try integrating both broody and chicks when the chicks are about a week old. At that point the chicks are strong enough to mostly keep out of trouble, and mum is at her most hormonal and protective of her babies.
Even a hen low down the pecking order will stand up for her self at this time, normally.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

When ever I had a Broody hen it stayed in the coop with the flock, chicks hatched and made their debut into the flock with no problems. Have never isolated from other birds and all integrated. Of course as the younger birds grew they were put in their place in the pecking order with no real violence or injury. I never really interfere with the goings on of the chicken community unless I have roosters who want to knock the starch out of each other.

 

[CITYS84]

Ok, I've got it now.
What you are thinking of doing sounds like the best plan, I think.
Both she and the chicks should be totally fine after a day or two of adjustment.

And no, I don't thinking keeping them together for that long would be a good idea, I think mum would soon get totally fed up of babying a bunch of teenagers!

In the future, you could try integrating both broody and chicks when the chicks are about a week old. At that point the chicks are strong enough to mostly keep out of trouble, and mum is at her most hormonal and protective of her babies.
Even a hen low down the pecking order will stand up for her self at this time, normally.

Thank you, very reassuring and really helpful advice for next time too! She’s a very protective mum!

 

[bobbi-j]

If your goal is to have them all together at some point anyway, I’d just integrate them all now. At 16-18 weeks, the young ones will still be vulnerable to bullying from the older birds. The “rooster” is a cockerel, and will be too young to defend the pullets from the adult birds. He may not even have the inclination to do so yet at that point. I just let my broody with her two week old chicks out of their enclosure to join the flock. Most of the hens came over to investigate, with one getting into a tussle with Mama when she got too close. One of the roosters noticed, came over and got between them. Problem solved.