[hensjs]

I have a maran (mother) and chick 7 weeks' old separated in a run and cat box (which I keep very clean but limited space) from another maran and a hybrid. Can anyone advise whether there is a good timeframe to reintroduce the chick and its mother back to the other two or just wait to POL (she will be obviously bigger by then). I tried letting them all out today on neutral ground in the garden and they scrapped a bit. My gut feel is that it is too early at the moment..  The maran mother was part of the main coup and so should settle back well it is just the chick I am worried about.

Thanks for any help you can give...

PS Mother is laying again so seems she is happy enough in the cat box for now...

[bantam novice]

At 8 weeks my two chicks are now sleeping in the big coop with the other hens. 

The only worry I had was about feeding.  I have decided to keep the whole flock on unmedicated growers pellets but with plenty of grit and oyster shell available to the hens.  The layers pellets have too much calcium for little chicks. 

They seem to have settled fine.  In fact one of them started crowing this week!  I am just hoping that the other one starts to lay eggs 

[hensjs]

Many thanks for that information. I had forgotten that all the birds would go onto growers pellets for a while...it is reassuring to know that I might not have too long to wait to bring them together, have a feeling the 'chick' is a cockerel so life might get interesting in the pecking order! The cockerel 'father' is a West Sussex (is that right?) lovely white and black plumage so a real beauty...but I think I'd prefer a hen....