adding chicks to flock

[fdehaven]

I just introduced 2 7 week old tired to my other 1 1/2 year old sir's. Of course there was some excitement at first and every once in awhile one of the older hens go after the little ones but for the most part the little ones stay away. My question is will the big hens kill the younger ones? Never done this before and not sure what to do. I know there will need to a pecking order established just don't want the younger ones hurt.

 

[christineavatar]

What I did was put a small dog crate, left the door open with some wire strung over the opening. The chicks could get in but the hens couldn't. This gave the chicks somewhere to go if the hens got rough.

 

[bburn]

We added 12 two month olds into our flock of 12 hens and one rooster. We (I) was not ready but we had to do it because of a breech in security in the little coop they were in. The hens pecked at the babies....lots of running at them. THEN the rooster stepped up. He would place himself between the hens and the little ones....run the hens off if he needed to. Then he would turn and show the babies little treats. He even stations himself now between the two. I am so darn proud of my rooster. The hens accepted the little ones and they went right into the coop at night to sleep on the lower roosts. Now, I have 25 more from the second hatch that have got to build a new coop and run for and am running out of time!!

It can happen. They can intergrate. Sometimes it is a little ugly.

However, if they have been in there a few days already the pecking order is most likely established for now.

 

[bburn]

Quote:
Oh....I fogot to say something about that. Hidey holes. We leaned a piece of corragated tin against the fence so the littles could have a place to hide. It is working great. When we gave treats they would run and grab one of whatever it was and run behind the tin to eat! Extra feeding stations and waterers also.