My 8 week old Leghorns have been spending time outside during the day but they mainly stay curled up in a corner of the run or in a corner in the coop. My banty rooster and a banty hen have been bullying them big time. The first time I introduced them, I did it completely wrong and they ripped the one chicks neck really bad. I have since had it inside to heal and it's healed nicely. The past 3 nights, I've tried to leave them outside but they continue to get pecked and when I check on them before bed I find them outside of their coop in the freezing cold and end up bringing them in for the night. When will the bullying stop? The chicks are almost the same size as my banties that are bullying them. Do I need to keep them in until they're bigger than the banties?
Its normal for chickens to not be as eccepting as you may want but just let them do there thing and establish a pecking order and if it gets like bleeding and cuting skin THEN you may entervene, and keep bringing the babys inside till the big boys eccept them dont worry my first introduction didn't go well , The poor sickly baby died because the rooster didn't like her!!!
8 weeks old is too early to introduce young birds to adult birds-- they will always get bullied; better at about 14-16 weeks old
Never add in chicks. They need to be well started so that they know to defend themselves. 4-5 months old would be a good time to try. Adults can and sometimes will kill chicks that young. Matt
I've always heard don't add them if they're still making chick "noises". I've added lots of chicks around 4-6 months and had success. I also keep the chicks in a coop right next to the hens for several months before I put them together. Good Luck!
Quote:Keeping them in a separate area adjacent to the older hens for awhile helps. I'd also wait until at least @ 4 mos. old before trying to introduce them.
how many young ones do you have? is there any way you can have them separated outside? divide part of the coop or run temporarily? Its hard keeping them inside, I know.
