agreessive hens

[micareli]

we are down to 25 chicks from our original 40, approx 4 roos, after the weasel attack we bought 21 straight runs to add to the brood.

the newbies are 6 weeks old, the oldies are 16 weeks old

about 10 days ago i tried to release them into the coop and several olds want having anything to do with it.... I cordoned off a 10x12 area built a small shelter and gave the newbies their own space......

one or two hens have been watching them I thought it was a motherly instinct, I opened the gate this morning into the cordoned area, an old hen about charged through the area ad began to peek at any chick she could get too.....

so closed the area off.... and now the question

How do you socialize the old ones to the new ones

do we isolate the ornery old one, sell her, make her a caged bird, or what. ( we currently have about 5000 SF free range pasture for them do hate to cage even one

 

[DeannaOR]

I would wait until they were closer in size. Can they see each other?

 

[micareli]

yes they can see each other....

so wait til the 6 weeks old ones are 18 weeks old then????

 

[DeannaOR]

We have ours in the same coop but separated by chicken wire..so they can see each other and interact, but the adults can't really hurt the smaller ones. It's been working so far. We just let 4 pullets in with the big ones last night. They are about the size of our buttercup hens. We did it at night when everyone was ready to sleep. They are getting picked on a little...but it will pass in a few days. It's pecking order. No blood is being drawn. They stick together. I hope that's all that your hen is doing.....just establishing pecking order, but I can't see what she is doing. You have to decide how harsh she is being.

 

[CMV]

I start intros at 12 weeks- see and be seen only, no contact. At 14 weeks- limited contact in unlimited space with supervision. At 16 weeks- full introduction. If it goes well- integration. If not- wait 2 weeks and try again. By 18 weeks both groups should be the same size, so the danger is passed. All birds should be able to fend for themselves.

Good luck.