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And after nearly a whole day - everyone is still happy. He even discovered the way into the coop. If everyone goes to bed tonight I will be happy. Although I think I may give him an escape hatch if I have to leave for more than a couple of hours. Thanks to the two of you that replied. But it...

I actually took out the divider before I saw this post. They've been out a couple of hours and all is pretty peaceful - a little pecking, but no blood and no head burying. Maybe they just needed the extra space? They also seem to have been distracted by suddenly getting access to the feeder...

Well, today he just flew over the divider the minute I put him in. I tossed him back on the big girl's side and he actually went after the meanest girl and when she turned around to get him, he flew back over. Sneaky, little rooster. He is nearly as big as the mature girls, so you'd think...

They were a couple of months when I started trying to combine them. I don't think I need the fence higher. They've been out there for a week, and as long as he stays on his side of the fence, they are fine. I could keep up the current system for a while, except that the little ones don't...

Anyone? Was I unclear, or is it just that no one has any ideas?

I have a small backyard flock. This year I have 4 "mature" girls and 2 newbies - one girl and one boy. I have always used the same process to integrate my new ones - a supervised hour a day for a week, then unsupervised time, slowly building up to all day and then overnight. Last year, I did...

Sweet looking boy. Mine has a comb that looks a little like that.

Thanks Cowgirl. I was sort of hoping someone would contradict you and tell me that I have a pullet. But I suspect that's wishful thinking. So, anyone ever have a maran rooster? Since I'm probably stuck with a boy, I'm at least hoping for a nice boy.

Anyone?

Well shoot. I wanted some dark eggs. Do you know if Maran roosters are generally mellow? I can keep a rooster, but not if its mean. The rooster we got last year was evil, but made good burritos.

Oh, and you can't tell in the pic but s/he has no wattle.

The large one on the left. S/he is a Maran, 6-7 weeks old. Things that make me think rooster: Red comb, large size, load peep, thick legs Things that make me think pullet: Body shape, tail feathers, mellow personality. S/he is my only maran, the one behind her is a barred rock, so I can't...

We have: Lexi (EE) Buttercup (BO) Rosebud (Silver Hamburg) Octavia (RIR) Dorothy (BR) Constance (Golden Laced Wyandot) Deceased ones are: Bruno (started out as Brunella and had to be renamed. ) Buttercup (the first, my 7 year old instisted on recycling the name) Ruth

What a bummer, Missi. I guess you just never know, unfortunately, if its going to work until it doesn't (or does)

I just offer grit free choice. Then if they need it, they will take it, if not they will leave it alone. Of course the reality is that they usually just spill it in about 30 seconds. LOL - but they can dig it out of the bedding if they really need it.

I added some brand new ones (only 1-2 days old) to some 3 week olds and it went fine. The way I did it was to kick the bigger girls out while I gave the little ones a bit of time to get used to the brooder - then I added the older girls one at a time starting with the bottom of the pecking order...

Thanks Equine! I think that is a good idea. How long should I wait in between adding chicks? If I wait too long will they forget that they are already a flock and have re-attached themselves to the "new" flock? My little ones are actually in 2 groups - one that is about 3 weeks older than the...

I know the convential wisdom is not to try to put new chickens in a flock until they are pretty much full sized. But my situation is a little unique. Due to a hawk issue and a very small starting flock, I'm left with only one adult. So it seems to me like I'm not so much putting my little...

Mine get plain ol' clean water and are doing fine.

Try the pet store for parakeet grit.