When to reintroduce chicks and broodies with the flock?

[Hopeful homesteader]

I have 3 hens that just hatched chicks this week and I separated them and their chicks because 1 kept fighting another hen over the babies and the 3rd is low pecking order so she was being picked on by 2 other hens in the flock. My older chickens have no problem with the chicks and they were all mingling just fine but I separated moms so they can take care of their chicks without any problems. How long should I keep them in their own brood coops before reintroducing them all? I'd like to wait until the chicks get a little bigger but idk if the brooding hens will get along at some point or if they will have to stay apart until the wean the chicks? Only 1 is really a problem being aggressive towards the other 2 broodies, the other 2 are mellow and get along just fine but I removed 1 because I don't want her being bullied by the rest of the flock while shes trying to raise her chicks. Other than their mom drama they've all been great moms and even swapped chicks a few times without any chicks rejected. I left one hen and her chicks in with the main flock since she's not having any problem at all, the aggressive hen and low pecking order hen are in separate coops with their chicks so those 2 I will need to bring back eventually. I'm thinking the low pecking order hen Goldie will be easier to reintroduce since she won't fight with Lolly but I'm wondering if I should just take her chicks and give them to the others and let her break her brooding cause I'm not confident she would be the best at defending them cause she ran and hid when pecked by the chickens higher than her otherwise I have no problem with her raising them and keeping them separated until she weans, I'm just not sure what would be the best solution here. I also have 5 more chicks that are about 2 weeks old in my bathroom that will be placed in yet another coop in a few weeks until they are big enough to be brought in with the rest of the flock which I'm considering moving the hens chicks in with them when they're weaned and the hens can just go right back to the main flock. And of course a 4th hen is acting broody now that the chicks have hatched. Sorry this post is all over the place, lots going on at the moment but I'd appreciate some advice.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Unless you have chickens who are directly being aggressive to the chicks (other than the odd peck) I would let them back when the chicks are 2 weeks old. The chicks are very robust by then and are pretty good at getting away from any squabbles. I've just had 3 broodies at once and there were some arguments and chasing but no significant aggression to the chicks.

The chicks will keep themselves separated as a juvenile flock within the main flock once the hens have weaned them, and the hens will slot right back in where they left off. Usually!

 

[Florida Flock and Farm]

I have also wondered too when to put the mama hen and her chicks back with the flock. The last time I had a Brody I let her out with the flock right away. She did a great job looking after her chick but I think a bird may have gotten hold of the chick since we let them free range during the day and lock them up at night. So my question is should I let the chicks with the flock again or just let the mama out until the chicks are big enough to not be taken away from a predator?

 

[Chicks on DL]

I think you are the best judge of that. It all depends how the flock interacts with them. The chicks should run and hide under momma. It's so cute when all you see are their faces sticking out of the feathers. There should be areas in the yard where they can run for protection when they get bigger and also for shade.

 

[ValarieF]

I have 3 hens that just hatched chicks this week and I separated them and their chicks because 1 kept fighting another hen over the babies and the 3rd is low pecking order so she was being picked on by 2 other hens in the flock. My older chickens have no problem with the chicks and they were all mingling just fine but I separated moms so they can take care of their chicks without any problems. How long should I keep them in their own brood coops before reintroducing them all? I'd like to wait until the chicks get a little bigger but idk if the brooding hens will get along at some point or if they will have to stay apart until the wean the chicks? Only 1 is really a problem being aggressive towards the other 2 broodies, the other 2 are mellow and get along just fine but I removed 1 because I don't want her being bullied by the rest of the flock while shes trying to raise her chicks. Other than their mom drama they've all been great moms and even swapped chicks a few times without any chicks rejected. I left one hen and her chicks in with the main flock since she's not having any problem at all, the aggressive hen and low pecking order hen are in separate coops with their chicks so those 2 I will need to bring back eventually. I'm thinking the low pecking order hen Goldie will be easier to reintroduce since she won't fight with Lolly but I'm wondering if I should just take her chicks and give them to the others and let her break her brooding cause I'm not confident she would be the best at defending them cause she ran and hid when pecked by the chickens higher than her otherwise I have no problem with her raising them and keeping them separated until she weans, I'm just not sure what would be the best solution here. I also have 5 more chicks that are about 2 weeks old in my bathroom that will be placed in yet another coop in a few weeks until they are big enough to be brought in with the rest of the flock which I'm considering moving the hens chicks in with them when they're weaned and the hens can just go right back to the main flock. And of course a 4th hen is acting broody now that the chicks have hatched. Sorry this post is all over the place, lots going on at the moment but I'd appreciate some advice.

Im a little confused but I would take the bully and put them on lockdown and take them down a notch.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

Im a little confused but I would take the bully and put them on lockdown and take them down a notch.

This has already been resolved but to rephrase, I don't think there was a bully issue but 3 hens hatched chicks at the same time and whenever the other 2 hens would call their chicks 1 hen would attack them and I believe she thought they were trying to steal her chicks. When I posted this thread 2 were already separated in different brood coops to raise their chicks and I was asking when to reintroduce them all. 1 hen was never separated from the main flock so I brought in 1 hen when her chicks were 2 weeks old and the other when her chicks were 3 weeks old. There was a day of pecking order issues but none of them ever bothered the chicks and they've all been living together happily ever since. In the future I won't let them hatch at the same time but put a 1-2 week gap when I set out eggs to avoid these conflicts.

 

[Riannausa1]

Im a little confused but I would take the bully and put them on lockdown and take them down a notch.

I have tried removing bullies for a week or 2 but as soon as they come back they still do the same. any tips on that?

 

[Lsjcdeeley]

I have a similar problem, but one of my broody hens killed one of the chicks that made its way to her enclosure. I don't know what to do with that situation.