A bully!!

[gabbondante]

I have been trying to integrate 2 3/4 week old chicks into my flock of 4 6-week old hens. For now, they are in a large dog crate inside the run. I have let the babies out with the big girls a couple of time just to see how it goes and everyone does well...everyone except one. My barred rock is a total bully! She picks on the smaller of the 2 babies relentlessly. Of course, I still have the babies in the crate as I'm too nervous to let them all together. My plan is to wait until the babies are a bit bigger but does anyone have any ideas on how to "break" a bully of their ways? Has anyone run into this type of problem before? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[donrae]

So you have 3ish week birds and 6 week birds? How much space do they have when they're all out together? Do you leave the crate or something else in their space to give the littles somewhere to hide behind?

My first thought is to put the littles out and put the Rock in the crate. Let everyone else learn to get along, then put her back out. But, you need to be sure you have plenty of space and something to break line of sight anyway.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have been trying to integrate 2 3/4 week old chicks into my flock of 4 6-week old hens.....

6 week old chickens are chicks and will remain chicks for 12 weeks more or longer. Your older (6 week old) chick is only doing what chicks do and that is staking her flocks prior claim to whatever resources that you provide to them. Of course the Barred Rock sees herself as the first among equals.

I hate to say this but chicken society is not and never has been a Socialist or Workers Paradise, but rather a Democratic Aristocracy. In other words a government of the strong, based either on the acquiesce, agreement, or cowardice of the masses. The good news is that if anything happens to your Barred Rock chick one of your 3 remaining older chicks will step up to seize the leadership position. All the recommendations that work are based on depressing your Barred Rock chick's self confidence. The longer that you postpone integrating your birds, the harder they will likely be to merge.

Try putting one or two of the lowest ranking but older chicks in with the two youngest chicks and monitor their conduct carefully. Once one of the oldest steps up to dominate, reunite all 6 and hope that the battle now becomes a fight among more equally matched chicks, which hopefully means less quarreling as the power dynamic is now split 4 chicks verses 2. The pecking order includes the concept of personal space and any chicken that violates a superior chickens' personal space is in for a quick and often violent correction. A large run or more space is more important to a young and diverse flock, than to a flock of single aged one breed chickens.

 

[gabbondante]

My coop is roughly 4ftx5ft and the attached run is 14ftx6ft. It's definitely enough room for them all to love peacefully. For now the dog crate is inside the actual run - figured that would give them time to see each other but no ouchies. Yes - my older chicks are 6 weeks and my newbies are approx 4 weeks. From what I've read it seems I need to put my Rock in a bit of a time-out to let her chill out and let the babies integrate then bring back the Rock. But for how long should I do this?