Advice needed on integration plan options

[igorsMistress]

Pardon my mess, I was cleaning. Don't worry about your wee ones, it can be done. I usually let my littles out in the morning when my big girls are out and about doing their thing. The bigs might give them a peck here and there but the littles know they can retreat to their coop. This was from today.

 

[aart]

everything seemed to be going fine until I came out with food and fresh water. The attack came while I was in the run with them - so it seems I triggered it, even though they had access to additional feeders and hiding space.

Are the feeders and waterers not left out 24/7?

 

[NHMountainMan]

Are the feeders and waterers not left out 24/7?

They are always out in the run. I swap out with clean waterers in the a.m. and add more food to the feeders. So they big birds had access to food and water, and the younger pullets had access in an area I blocked off with pallets so they could escape the bigger pullets.
They were in the run together with no apparent issues before I showed up. The birds all come running when I step into the run. They only other thing to mention is that the older birds all have been laying for a few weeks, and do their little mating dance when I step through the door. Then they turned on the littlest pullet.
There isn't a reason to resource guard. Maybe hormones?

 

[doublecrossranch]

Maybe hormones?

Chicks be crazy. Sorry. Sometimes I think I’m funny.

 

[aart]

They are always out in the run. I swap out with clean waterers in the a.m. and add more food to the feeders. So they big birds had access to food and water, and the younger pullets had access in an area I blocked off with pallets so they could escape the bigger pullets.
They were in the run together with no apparent issues before I showed up. The birds all come running when I step into the run. They only other thing to mention is that the older birds all have been laying for a few weeks, and do their little mating dance when I step through the door. Then they turned on the littlest pullet.
There isn't a reason to resource guard. Maybe hormones?

Nah, I think it was a bit of fluke...probably more of a space thing than a food thing.

What "mating dance" are the newly laying pullets doing?

 

[Ribh]

Putting them in the coop @ night is what I do...

 

[NHMountainMan]

Nah, I think it was a bit of fluke...probably more of a space thing than a food thing.

What "mating dance" are the newly laying pullets doing?

Squatting down, wings flattened, tail feathers swishing to the side. All three started doing it about 3 weeks ago, eggs started a few days later. New to chickens - but even I knew what that was... And then they pounced on the younger pullet.

 

[aart]

Squatting down, wings flattened, tail feathers swishing to the side. All three started doing it about 3 weeks ago, eggs started a few days later. New to chickens - but even I knew what that was... And then they pounced on the younger pullet.

They think you are a rooster.....yes they can get more aggressive at onset of lay due to hormone surges.

 

[NHMountainMan]

They think you are a rooster.....yes they can get more aggressive at onset of lay due to hormone surges.

I suppose the way I walk after knee and hip replacements may look like a rooster strutting so I could understand their confusion....

 

[aart]

I suppose the way I walk after knee and hip replacements may look like a rooster strutting so I could understand their confusion....

I should have said... 'They wish you were a rooster'.
Have only had pullets squat for me when there wasn't a male bird around.