introduducing new chicks to exsisting flock

[JohnSteader]

the rest are typical breed bernies, silkies

Out of curiosity what are Bernies? I'm not familiar with that term.

Aart's write-up is fairly good but one thing not mentioned is that more mature birds outrank immature birds and are sometimes not shy about enforcing those pecking order rights. But when you say "and as I just found out its only 1 baby chick they harass. could it be that its the only one that flails around like someone cut its head off?" I don't think that is what is going on, or at least not most of it.

Is it just one of the older ones doing this or is it most of them? Sometimes one bird just takes an immense dislike toward another and is not happy until it kills it. Sometimes a flock rejects a bird that they consider "not right". They instinctively do not want that bird adding it's genetics to the gene pool, may be concerned that it is introducing a disease, or its behavior or maybe injury might attract predators. They do not understand why they reject it, they instinctively do. Sometimes if one bird attacks the others join in, sort of like a mob.

If is is just one older bird instigating the aggression I'd isolate that bird well away from the flock for at least a week and try to integrate the younger ones. See what happens. It is possible that older bird will change its behaviors when you put it back.

That space is not great as far as integration goes though it is a lot better than many have. Once integration is over it should work great. Integration is not about square feet per chicken but has more to do with quality of the space. Can a chicken get away from and avoid another when they need to?

From what you say you are doing everything right and that other chick seems to not be having problems. I'm not sure this is an integration issue but is more of a personality conflict. My first step would be to isolate the instigator if you can identify one, modify her behavior. Or keep the chicks isolated a while longer to see if that chick grows out of that behavior if the flock is after it. Or get rid if the chicks and try others. As harsh as this sounds, it is possible there is something wrong with that chick and you don't want it in your flock. Your flock may be right.

Thank you for mentioning it is just one chick and that chick has behavior issues. Until then I was thinking it was a pure integration issue. But that's why it is hard to analyze these things over the internet, you usually don't have all the information. You never know what will be important.

Good luck!

no its not just one its all of the older hens getting at the one that has behavior issues. flail like its head is cut off is the only way i could think to describe it. shes in constant panic mode. soon as her feet hit the dirt with the other hens shes screaming, running and jumping around like someone cut her head off EVEN when the older hens are not chasing or pecking at her.

 

[JohnSteader]

How big is your hen house(coop)?

Could be their ages....the 18 week olds are not yet adults and can be even more territorial.
Are the 18wo's laying yet?

the hen house is 3 feet by 3 feet and their yard is 12 feet by 12 feet.

 

[aart]

no, they are not laying yet. theyre only 8 weeks older than the 2 babies introduced

Well, this is why I thought that.

2 new baby chicks (roughly 8 weeks) to a flock of hens (roughly 10 weeks older)

I've read that sometimes young birds(16-18wo) are more defensive of their territory than older birds.

You could try swapping their spaces, or putting a couple of the more mellow older birds into the younger birds space, keep mixing up who is with whom in different pens to shake up the territoriality aspect.

 

[JohnSteader]

Well, this is why I thought that.


I've read that sometimes young birds(16-18wo) are more defensive of their territory than older birds.

You could try swapping their spaces, or putting a couple of the more mellow older birds into the younger birds space, keep mixing up who is with whom in different pens to shake up the territoriality aspect.

ok. sounds like a plan. like i said ive had chickens all my life and ive never seen this before. at first i wondered if it was because theyre the easter chickens but then they stopped bothering the one and only bothered the other then i started to wonder if it was just because it never takes a break from acting like theyre killing it even when theyre not bothering it. new to me but if the one doesnt settle down ill separate her just to fatten her up then make her dinner haha

 

[JohnSteader]

the rest are typical breed bernies, silkies

Out of curiosity what are Bernies? I'm not familiar with that term.

Aart's write-up is fairly good but one thing not mentioned is that more mature birds outrank immature birds and are sometimes not shy about enforcing those pecking order rights. But when you say "and as I just found out its only 1 baby chick they harass. could it be that its the only one that flails around like someone cut its head off?" I don't think that is what is going on, or at least not most of it.

Is it just one of the older ones doing this or is it most of them? Sometimes one bird just takes an immense dislike toward another and is not happy until it kills it. Sometimes a flock rejects a bird that they consider "not right". They instinctively do not want that bird adding it's genetics to the gene pool, may be concerned that it is introducing a disease, or its behavior or maybe injury might attract predators. They do not understand why they reject it, they instinctively do. Sometimes if one bird attacks the others join in, sort of like a mob.

If is is just one older bird instigating the aggression I'd isolate that bird well away from the flock for at least a week and try to integrate the younger ones. See what happens. It is possible that older bird will change its behaviors when you put it back.

That space is not great as far as integration goes though it is a lot better than many have. Once integration is over it should work great. Integration is not about square feet per chicken but has more to do with quality of the space. Can a chicken get away from and avoid another when they need to?

From what you say you are doing everything right and that other chick seems to not be having problems. I'm not sure this is an integration issue but is more of a personality conflict. My first step would be to isolate the instigator if you can identify one, modify her behavior. Or keep the chicks isolated a while longer to see if that chick grows out of that behavior if the flock is after it. Or get rid if the chicks and try others. As harsh as this sounds, it is possible there is something wrong with that chick and you don't want it in your flock. Your flock may be right.

Thank you for mentioning it is just one chick and that chick has behavior issues. Until then I was thinking it was a pure integration issue. But that's why it is hard to analyze these things over the internet, you usually don't have all the information. You never know what will be important.

Good luck!

Barreds not bernies, sorry. i was in a hurry

 

[JohnSteader]

Thanks to everyone who helped with this. Come to find out, all I needed was a little snow. haha The chick has settled down and the flock has accepted her.