3 different aged chicks/chicks what should we do?

[Hatti]

Hi,

We have one big rooster and its two hens. We incubated eggs and now have 6 chicks which are two months old. And then bought 11 more chicks (3 legbars and 8 polis- that are now a month old-so different breeds) we keep them all free ranging in the garden. The babies are normally in a run in-between the older chicks and the adult ones. When we let the babies out of their run the bigger chicks run after them. When we let the adults free range with the older chicks (specially one of the hens pick on them) At night the adult chicken sleep in the coop and the other chicks sleep in their own brooders (we divided one brooder into two for the two different sized chicks)

Two of the older chicks are roosters. And would love to have a rooster in the long run. We live in the city so cannot keep them all.

The older rooster protects is a good defence for preditors (we had one of our baby chicks taken by a cat)

What should we do?

If we keep the adult rooster and give the hens away would it attack the chicks until they grow older? Or should we just give the adults all up and divide the coop to two and keep the chicks in the coop when it is time?

 

[Lovem all]

I personally would never get rid of any of my hens. As far as everything that's happening with the chickens it's just them figuring themselves out and arranging the pecking order.

 

[aart]

What should we do?

Depends on your goals and housing space.
Is your main coop big enough to hold all the birds once they are integrated?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

Are you allowed to have any crowers in your city?
Multiple males create an environment of competition, increasing crowing and mating,
it can be loud, chaotic, and detrimental to the females.
If your older cock is 'good' he won't try to mate the younger females until they are 'ready'

It's normal for older birds to chase younger ones.
Integrations takes time.
Here's some tips about....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[aart]

Oh, and....Welcome to BYC! @Hatti
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!