6 week old's integration into 10 week old's flock quesiton

[MontanaDolphin]

A few days ago I put my 6 week old chicks with the 10 week old chicks that were already out in the coop. I had spent about a week getting them used to each other by putting the movable pen next to the run so they could see each other but not get hurt. When I finally put the younger chicks in the run, the older chicks chased them, pecked them, pulled feathers, and one even did the foot dive at them. I figured since the younger chicks are smart enough to run and hide, they'd be fine...it will work itself out.

But the older chicks are still picking on them. The younger ones won't even come out of the coop when I open the run door in the morning. They usually won't venture out until late morning/early afternoon. They return to the coop at night like the big boys and girls, roosting on the lower roost (except for one brave baby who gets up on the top roost with the older chicks).

How long until the big chicks stop picking on the little chicks? And since they have been in the coop and run together for 3 days, can I stop being nervous about losing a chick to the older ones? Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Probably, especially if you have not seen any blood. It's not unusual for flocks to have cliques for months or years, with appropriate pecking to maintain them. I have a hen, about 2 years old, who will probably be an outsider all her life. She stays on the outskirts, comes for treats then goes off by herself, sleeps on the roost but on one end. She is the lone survivor of a clutch that a broody raised. Not unusual.

 

[JanO]

Personally I think you put them together too soon. I never integrate my chicks until they are at least 8 weeks old. Anyway, after 3 days they apparently have started to sort out the pecking order. The smaller ones will form their own little clique and avoid the older ones as much as possible. This is normal, no matter what age they are. In their chicken mind the older ones are establishing their status and it could take a week or so before they stop picking on the younger ones,. However in time they will integrate together completely but you may not notice it for a few weeks or months. In the meantime if you don't see blood, you can assume that they are sorting things out among themselves.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Personally I think you put them together too soon. I never integrate my chicks until they are at least 8 weeks old.

I didn't have a choice. Hubby said to get them out or he'd do it for me. I knew chicks would be stinky, which I told him, but he didn't realize how stinky, nor how dusty they get. I tried my hardest to keep up with the dust...but even if I dust in the morning after he goes to work, there's dust by afternoon. So I had to move them out. That's why I got them used to each other with a barrier first, knowing the older chicks were bigger and would peck.