[Dewdrop]

Hi!
Please can someone offer me some advice. I have 6 hens 14 months old, 1 broody who is the same age but ready to go back to the flock and 2 new 19 week old hens. Broody is in coop with her 5 week old chicks which is in the main hen run so all hens can see each other, but can't actually get to each other. New hens are in separate cage but again within main run (I only got them yesterday).

Broody is ready to get back to main flock (she laid an egg yesterday), but when I let her out yesterday for a short while, one of the other hens started fighting with her - not just the usual pecking, but vicious fighting - holding onto each other and pressing each other to the ground. Hard to say which one of the 2 hens was worse! I had to separate them and put broody back with her chicks. This morning the broody and the hen who was fighting yesterday were 'fighting' again through the wire cage! I was planning on putting her back with the flock tonight when they are asleep but am having second thoughts.

Should I introduce the new girls AND the broody at the same time - at night? If I have problems with fighting would I be better to remove the hen who picks the fight and put her in a separate cage rather than removing the new hens or the broody?

Sorry to sound rather long-winded but hope someone may be able to offer some advice.

Thank you. Dewdrop.

[Sassy]

Ideally remove the hen who picks the fight. This way they lose their place in the pecking order and have to start again when re introduced. 

[Casey76]

Sorry I can't help you.  My broody decided to reintroduce herself to the flock by breaking out of her pen when her (only) chick was just a week old.

They both still sleep separately, but there hasn't been any problems with the rest of the flock picking on the little one (and she is still very small, much smaller than my other 3 week old chicks)

[NormandyMary]

I did everything wrong last year, when my 2 broodies hatched 4 chicks between them I wasnt prepared at all, so they gave birth in the main chook house (which opened out to a half acre field). The other chooks and dad Monty were fabulous, and all took turns watching the babies, who after only 4 days, ventured outside, much to my dismay. This year, there is a maternity wing with a separate run, I just hope that the transition is as smooth.

[joyfull]

My broodies and their chicks usually join the others when they are a few days old (although the hedge hatchlings joined the others straight after hatching - one was still a little bit sticky). I do tend to keep mine in a seperate coup until they have had their morning chick crumb and then let them out to roam 

[mikebucks]

Normandy mary, Iwanted to have two hens share some fertile eggs as they are broody together in the same nest is this what happened with yours last year?