Am I being over sensitive?

[The Zoo]

I'm trying to integrate two 7.5 week-old chicks with my two year-old hens and I think I may be being too much of a mother hen. I have the babies in a coop within a coop and let them out to free range with the big girls when I'm outside or when I can listen for them peeping loudly.

So far my big girls have chased them, jumped on them and pecked them and I've stopped it all when I could. I've coaxed a baby from behind the trashcan (where she was stuck), from behind the food bin (where she was stuck) and from behind the coop (where she was...stuck). I cuddled them, comforted them and then put them back down and walked away or kept a watch over them.

So question, am I being too soft? Should I just let them squabble and fight it out? I'm worried the big hens will really hurt the babies. Will hens kill a chick?

 

[Candymom]

I made the mistake once of letting them work it out. It resulted in dead chicks. I don't recommend it. I'm sure you'll get some great advice about when to actually let them be together.

 

[greathorse]

You might give them a few more weeks before you become t he hard a**. Those old hens could kill a young chicken. I think in a few more weeks they will be in a better position to at least stay out of the way. I integrate young stuff quite a bit an and ten to 12 weeks seems to work better.

If you have a fairly large run it will help also. There seems to be an issue with keeping a certain space patrolled for t hose old Biddy's.

I am told that in large poultry houses that there are territories inside those buildings that cannot be encroached by outsiders.

Some meat birds not only grow up in the same building but in the same general area in which they were placed as chicks.

Weird HUH?

 

[NancyDz]

How long have the chicks been in the coop within a coop? I usually have mine like that for about 3 weeks before integrating, and then I have the chicks food inside of a cage with a door too small for the hens to get in so the chicks have a "safe haven" and can eat in peace, also so the hens dont eat the chick feed.

 

[BorderKelpie]

What I did with mine that has worked (so far) is I put the young chicks in a wire flight cage in the coop for at least a week. I feed the big chickens treats by the wire cage so that maybe

they will connect good things with the appearance of the newcomers. Then, after a week or so, I prop the cage door open, but only enough so the little ones can come and go, but the big ones can't fit. I let them come out when they are ready. Keeping the cage in with the door propped gives the babies a place they are familer with that they can run to hide if needed. So far, I have had no problems doing this. It's funny, though. The birds that are raised together form little cliques. You can see different groups of birds in the coop/run area. They seem to remain friends for life.
Best wishes with yours!

 

[ibpboo]

I don't think you are being too sensitive. Keep doing it the way you are, coop inside the coop, and only let them out for short periods under supervision. It can take a couple months, or only a couple weeks, just really depends on the personality of the birds.
Good luck!!

edited to add: Nancy has the right idea too, a safe haven for the younger ones, yes, sometimes hens will kill chicks.

 

[JennsPeeps]

My adults recently chased my "tweens" (3 months old) into our neighbors' yard, where the dogs were barely unable to catch them. The buff orp was partially scalped by the adult hens and the australorp was very traumatized.

Watch closely for the difference between intimidation and downright intent to murder. We nearly lost our 2 girls due to the adults' aggression.

 

[The Zoo]

Well I'm feeling MUCH better about being a Mama Hen.
They've only been in the coop within a coop for a week. I do put scratch and treats inside the coop for the big girls so they will associate good things with the babies. I only open the baby door for some recreation time for them when I'm around or can hear things. I also shoo the bigger hens away when they're being aggressive or getting too close.

So basically it's patience and not rushing things - ok, I can do that.

Today Masala (the bigger chick) flew from the Adirondack chair up to me when I was standing up on the back porch. It was a good 4-5 foot flight. I swear the big chicks stood there with their mouths open looking at her after she did that. Mine was open too. She's going to be bigger than them I think - they'd better be nice to her now or she'll put them in their places later!

 

[MoodyChicken]

Try putting the newbies in a cage within the coop. That way the oldies will see them but they can't pick on the newbies. And do this at night. Often times they just wake up the next day and think "hey... I guess those two other chickens have been here the whole time..."

 

[The Zoo]

I can try to put them in at night but my coop really isn't big enough to put a cage in. I will see what I can do - it would make ME feel better if they were in the coop at night where it's warm and cozy.