Adding to flock - how long before my existing girls accept the newbies?

[jelewis]

Hello Everyone:

Last April was our first year for chickens and we started our journey with 5 layers as chicks. This past April, we purchased 7 more chicks and just last week we introduced the two groups.

The newbies were in a temporary coop that was contained inside a 12x12 dog pen. Both groups had interaction through the kennel when they were let out to free range.

After a couple of weeks of this, I moved the new girls into the main coop a week ago this past Friday. Here is what has ensued:

1. A lot of chasing.
2. A couple of the girls were pecked to the point where Blue-Kote was necessary on their heads.
3. I moved the two pecking offenders into the temporary coop (they are still there).
4. I've let the older girls out to free range but keep the newbies in the run until dusk when they all go into the coop to roost.
5. In the mornings, before I open the pop-door, the newbies are all huddled in the nest boxes, assuming they are hiding from the older girls.
6. Even the unplanned cockerel (who came with the newbies) is afraid of the older girls.

No blood has been drawn in the last several days so I guess my question is, do I leave things alone and do no further intervention? And should I let the two pecking offenders back in the main coop?

I honestly feel bad for the newbies, as if they are being traumatized. Any and all thoughts, criticism, direction is welcome!

Jeff

 

[sourland]

Hello, Jeff, welcome to BYC. Depending upon the temperament of the birds involved flock integration can be easy or difficult. Generally there are some problems as chicken society is not kind. Bigger established birds pick on smaller, newer birds. I'd be tempted to let the younger birds free range with your more mellow older hens. Given that the two 'offenders' have enough space, I would not reintroduce them until the young birds are more comfortable in the flock. Make sure that the younger birds are getting enough to eat and drink - use multiple feed and water stations if necessary. Upon reintroduction of the two isolated birds there will be scuffling as they once again try to exert their dominance.

 

[jelewis]

Thanks Broody Magician!

As far as the older girls that they are in with now, should I leave things alone since they are just chasing and not pecking for blood? I have added an extra feeder and waterer.

 

[sourland]

If it were me, I would leave things just as they are since the younger birds are not being physically injured.

 

[Mrs. K]

Not sure of your set up, but if your coop is secure inside a run, I would leave the pop up door open. This would allow your younger birds to get out of the coop when needed in the morning.

It is common for there to be subflocks within the main flock due to age, sometimes due to breed. (Birds of a feather, do flock together). Even when I have a broody raise chicks in a flock, while accepted, they tend to hang by themselves from 5 weeks until they lay. Once they are laying, they become part of the flock again.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

Of course there are exceptions to everything since you are dealing with living animals but one way chickens have learned to live together in a flock is when there is conflict the weaker runs away from the stronger. There may be some chasing involved but if the weaker can run conflict is usually resolved peacefully. If they cannot run away or if they get trapped in a corner or against a fence they may just hunker down and try to protect their head. The winner does not know they won since the other did not run away and they often keep going for the head since that is the most vulnerable spot. They can be real brutes.

Mature chickens always outrank immature chickens and can be pretty vicious in enforcing their pecking order rights, especially if their personal space is violated. It doesn’t take long for immature birds in a flock to form a sub-flock so they can avoid the older birds as long as they have enough room to do that. Yours are avoiding the older birds by crowding in that nest. I usually find my immature birds on the roosts in the morning while the older are on the floor waiting for me to open the door to let them out. My roosts are high enough that they can avoid the older birds by flying up there.

My brooder is in the coop so they are raised with the flock. I usually move the brooder raised chicks to a grow-out coop with pen at five weeks but not always. It normally takes me three weeks to get them used to going to bed in the grow-out coop instead of in that run, so it’s usually 8 weeks when I let them out to run with the adults during the day. If I don’t move them to the grow-out coop I open the brooder door at 5 weeks and let them find their own way with the flock. I’ve never had a serious problem doing this, never lost a chick to an adult member. But mine are raised together and they have lots of room, in the coop and outside. When I have very young ones in the main coop with the adults I get down there early to open the pop door until I have confidence they are getting along OK.

What I suggest is in line with what Sour said. As long as they are not being injured leave things as they are. Separate feeding and watering stations helps reduce conflict. Provide them as much space as you can. If they are contained in an area like a run, provide places for them to get out of sight of the older chickens, things to hide behind or under, or put in some perches.

For the two that were injured, after they are healed, let them range with the flock during the day. If they go back to their temporary coop for the night, good. Don’t force them into the main coop until they have ranged with the adults during the day for a couple of weeks. I normally move mine, or at least the pullets, into the main coop at 12 weeks, but by then they have been ranging during the day with the adults for four weeks.

I’ve never lost a chick or even had one seriously injured by an adult doing this. I know others have. With living animals you don’t get guarantees. But I think by letting them grow up with the flock and providing a lot of room your odds of success are tremendously improved.

Good luck!

 

[jelewis]

Awesome, thanks Ridgerunner, Mrs. K, and Sourland.

Ridgerunner, you pretty much described the current situation re: the sub-flock.

The one thing that I have not done yet is to allow the younger flock to free-range out with the older flock. Because I have dogs, I generally do not let them free range until late afternoon when they will all go to roost at dusk (rather than trying to round them up during the day when the dogs need bathroom breaks).

I will let them all free range this afternoon for the first time and hope that eases the tension more.

Thanks again!

Jeff