Added two twelve week olds.........advise please.

[chickengal30]

Hello all.

I have had two chicks in the same run as my four nine month olds - separated by a secure gate, since they were five weeks olds and have let them out with the big girls for a few "get to know you visits" they were chased but no serious pecking going on. Well today I tock down the separator, the little girls now twelve wks old, got chased and hid in the nest/egg box, but got pushed out when one of the big girls wanted to lay. How do I keep the little girls out of the egg box

(I only have one but will add another when the two little ones are close to laying age)?

At the moment the little ones are in the coop (with there food and water, I got Manna Pro Triple Duty feed for them all and have calcium out for the laying girls) and the big girls are in the run (both connected by a big open door) also with food and water. Will it take long for them to become 'friends'?

Im a very nervous chicken mom! Thanks for you input.

 

[chickengal30]

Anyone please?

Thanks!

 

[macdoogle2]

I added 4 16 week olds to 9 one year olds 2 weeks ago. The little ones got chased and pecked but nothing serious. They still get chased and pecked on occasion but seem to be well intergrated. One night early on, I went to check and make sure the little ones were in the hen house and roosting. One was still on the ground. My top hen was down there with her chasing her around. I think she was trying to get her off the ground and on to the perch. It was actually kind of funny. I could just tell what the older hen was thinking "go to bed already".

I gave extra treats and put out extra places to eat and drink. The little ones got pecked on more around the food and water.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Quote:
lol

Nice to read that -- I've got a pair of 18 week olds I need to integrate with 5 10 month olds, and have been puttng it off.

 

[BigRedNZ]

Came here looking ideas, but looks like I just have to be patient.

I'm introducing 2 3 month old RIRs to a flock of 2 young Barne and one old (inherited) Shaver. Turns out the older Shaver is a real B*&ch, and taking a bit of distraction to stop her chasing the little RIRs up and down the run (15m long)

The two RIR will stay indoors all day if I didn't encourage them out, and shut the door. but I only do that for an hour or so at a time.

With the pecking order being re-established even I'm getting a few taps, but a flick back, and that soon stopped.

I also saw on here someone using a hose to slow down ridiculous harassment, so I might try that on a hot day.

Ultimately I have to be patient and let the ladies work it out.

As always, I have nothing to add except to say.... thanks for the endless advice everyone.

 

[cmom]

When I was integrating my pullets with the rest of my flock, had two hens that were bullies. I caught one hen really wailing away on one of the pullets. I thought my bully was going to kill the pullet the way she was on top of her wailing away at her. Originally I did take the bullies out of the flock for about a week. When I did put them back with the flock one was ok but the other was still being a real bully so I took her back out and put her back in jail for another week then let her back in with the flock and she started in again. She was so intent on a pullet that she didn't know I was there. I had a hose in my hand and gave her a good squirt with the hose. She wasn't expecting it as she was really into beating up the pullet. Boy did she ever jump off when she got hit with the water. She ran into the coop and didn't come back out for a long time. I caught her a few more times and always had the hose handy and squirted her when she was being aggressive. She eventually quit bullying. That is when I used the hose and caught her off guard. I guess she eventually knew if she kept it up she would get squirted. She would block the pop door and keep the pullets out so they couldn't get to the feed. I put a second pop door in the coop and another feeder out in their run. She couldn't guard both pop doors and feeders.

 

[BigRedNZ]

Can't seem to get my hose out quick enough.

Our little ladies are scratching around know, but the old birds seem to keep them away from the Cookateria... might need a second one to make enough space.

Also at night our Shaver (Frances) continues to be a real nuisance. I went down, and the poor birds are huddled in a corner out of reach. I jostle them up to a perch (lowest one) and Frances turns around to get them in range and immediately starts pecking them again!!!

She's having a night outside in the run tonight, again. There's a perch, and we don't have chicken killers in NZ like other places.