4 mo old Brahma's won't hang with the existing flock

[Cuccismith]

So I merged the two Brahmas with my existing flock of 4 (all mixed breeds) and the babies are so afraid of the big girls that they won't even hang while free ranging in yard. Will get kinda close but run away asap. at night they fear for their lives going in the coop but, no blood has ever been drawn and are quite "chicken" in comparison to my other girls. They lay at the bottom of the coop to sleep...How do I get them to trust them and be a little tougher? frustrated!

 

[boskelli1571]

Hello - let them do it at their own pace. You can't rush them. They may never 'hang out' with the big girls, just be near enough for their comfort and no nearer. Brahmas are gentle giants from what I have read. What are your other breeds?

 

[Cuccismith]

Thanks for answering! Two head chickens are RIR and i have 2 mixed silkies that are broody often. Just now I was getting the girls in the run with oatmeal and the babies ran into the coop to hide. They will even skip snack! The big girls don't even really care about them... unless it's bed time and they are in their space. It's just been over a month and I hoped they'd be one flock by now..

 

[boskelli1571]

Thanks for answering! Two head chickens are RIR and i have 2 mixed silkies that are broody often. Just now I was getting the girls in the run with oatmeal and the babies ran into the coop to hide. They will even skip snack! The big girls don't even really care about them... unless it's bed time and they are in their space. It's just been over a month and I hoped they'd be one flock by now..

Patience my friend!

Just so you know, RIRs' are pushy and can be aggressive with any other bird, even their own breed. It may be that the youngsters have already been 'put in place' and are cautious of the house rules. With Brahmas being so gentle, I think it's possible that they will never fully integrate. Give it some time, things will calm down and hopefully improve,

 

[Peeps61]

I have a mixed flock of birds. Three are going on 3 years old and the others are a little over a year. I have a Brahma in the 1 year old flock and she rules over the BSL that survived from my spring chick purchases and lives with the big girls now, since I have an order of chicks from McMurray's in my chicken tractor. The Brahma fits in comfortably with the others, but it wasn't until she started laying eggs that it happened. She gets on the roost at night and makes the BSL move - no matter where she is, just to make the point that she is senior.

 

[Cuccismith]

Thank you all for responding and helping. I am going to keep it all in mind and be more patient. Hopefully when they get nearer to laying it will be sorted out. Thanks eggain : ) for your comments
Jill

 

[Mrs. K]

A pullet before she lays is much lower in the pecking order. When they start laying, they will fit in better, and when it gets cold, always seems to bring my flock together.

But when you have a flock of different ages, they hang apart until they lay, and my chicks are raised up right in the flock. They are tolerated by the big girls, mostly ignored, but they don't really belong until they lay.

 

[aart]

A pullet before she lays is much lower in the pecking order. When they start laying, they will fit in better, and when it gets cold, always seems to bring my flock together.

But when you have a flock of different ages, they hang apart until they lay, and my chicks are raised up right in the flock. They are tolerated by the big girls, mostly ignored, but they don't really belong until they lay.

For sure...I noticed my broody raised chicks this year spent most the day up on the roosts hiding from the other birds,
then they started hanging out in the run more often, I figured laying was imminent and I was correct.
They still roost separately from the main flock tho.
Chicken harmony can be elusive, someone's almost always picking on someone else.