4 chicks + 2 hens = friendship??? maybe someday??

[sixxchixx]

Ok, I just introduced my four 13 week olds to my 2 hens and things seem to be going along pretty well.
yesterday the 4 babies spent a few hours in the yard with the biggies and I only saw/heard one or two pecks from my alpha hen. so far today, nothing. the little ones are mostly scared of the 2 adults and my hens dont seem to care at all anyway. besides, the little ones are too fast for the big girls to catch anyway.

It was really cute because DH actually seemed to want to hang out in there to keep an eye on the babies. (usually he pretends that they are my chickens and he has no interest)

but we chicken- sat all day and looks like today will go as smoothly as yesterday I may even see if they will get a long so well that they can all roost together tonight.

wish me luck... the babies LOVE LOVE LOVE

being in the large chicken yard!!

 

[9 Feathers Farm]

Good to hear it is going well. My husband does the same thing (pretends they are "my" chickens but he loves them). Good luck and have fun watching the little ones!

 

[sixxchixx]

ok i couldnt stand it!!!

i let them all choose for themselves and "head back to the roost" whenever they wanted.
so the babies were there first, a little before dusk' and then the big girls came in. i separated them for about 5 minutes until it was pretty dark and then one by one put the 4 babies back on the roost. they were so freaked out (actually only 2 of the 4 were) one flew at least 6 ft up and over to my shoulder and tried to cuddle and the other jumped as high as she could and attempted to roost on the ceiling posts. i coudnt bear to leave them out there "alone" with the big girls.


i mean the two hens arent picking on them, only a little peck here and there but the little ones are absolutely terrified of them.

does anyone know what i can do? or should i suck it up and let chickens be chickens?

 

[9 Feathers Farm]

The little ones are going to be wary of the big ones for a while. There is a pecking order, and the big ones are telling the littles who is boss.

If the little ones want to sleep on the floor and no one is getting pecked on then let them (or maybe they were just scared that you were picking them up?). For some reason I had about 6 chickens that would not sleep on the roost for almost3-4 months. The others ones slept up there, there was no "pest" problem, that was just where they decided to sleep.

 

[gryeyes]

It is SO hard to let nature square things away. They ARE chickens, and they do have to go through that unpleasant pecking order system. We think of it as bullying, but it's The Chicken Way.

I know. I know. *I* hated watching my favorite Head Pullet give way to the Rooster! He came later, I wanted her to continue to be the one in charge, but that's NOT the Chicken Way. As soon as the rooster is mature enough, he gets to be Boss and that's just the way it is.

It sounds like they're not going to do any serious injury/damage to the youngsters, so just grit your teeth and sit on your hands and let them fit into the flock dynamics.

*pat pat pat*