Big hen attacking new chicks

[Onyxflock]

I need ideas on how to get my 8 mo old hens to accept the new chicks. I've let them mingle and the big hen goes after them. At first I thought it was due to the feed, so I tried letting the babies out when I wasn't feeding them.
My worry is since there are 2 older (8 mos) and 2 babies (4 weeks) that they may not mix into the little flock I was hoping for. The run is 10×20 and the main house holds up to 6 chickens. My goal is to have them integrated by winter when they'll need to stay warm, and can sleep in the house together.
If I give enough places for the babies to hide, will the big hens eventually quit attacking them? Should I buy another grown hen as a buffer/distraction/possible protector?
I had 3 to start, but 1 was rooster & was rehomed. Was hoping adding the new girls would make a nice flock, so when 1 is laying, the other hen has some pals to scratch around with since the rooster is gone.
The set up is a separated area & house within the big run. Breeds are Light Brahma & Golden Wyandotte chicks.

 

[sourland]

It's a bit early to integrate the chicks into the flock. Things might go better if they were a bit older/larger.

 

[Mamatomany123]

You need to give it t ik me. See but not touch for a while. I brood mine in the coop for this reason. A little one got out the other day and my big girls paid her no attention.

 

[Onyxflock]

You need to give it t ik me. See but not touch for a while. I brood mine in the coop for this reason. A little one got out the other day and my big girls paid her no attention.

Thanks. The feed store guy said if it was chilly at night, just put the youngsters in the house with the hens to keep warm. But I worried they'd hurt or kill them by morning! They have a lot of small wild birds in their yard, maybe they identify similar size chick as one of them. They're growing fast so maybe couple of weeks will be the trick.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Thanks. The feed store guy said if it was chilly at night, just put the youngsters in the house with the hens to keep warm. But I worried they'd hurt or kill them by morning! They have a lot of small wild birds in their yard, maybe they identify similar size chick as one of them. They're growing fast so maybe couple of weeks will be the trick.

Dont do that. The big hens can end up really hurting them. My biggest ones check out the babies a lot but they cant get to them to hurt them.

 

[Onyxflock]

No, you are right - I did not follow that advice. Waaay too paranoid & I would've been worrying all night! I turned the basket brooder into a little chick house and each night put them in bed & locked them up. Now they go in by themselves as it gets dark.
This is why I wondered if they'd adopt their own area and not integrate with the other 2 and make my little flock. I guess it doesn't matter, as long as they keep warm in winter and I can collect eggs easily. Something I'm learning is how much is out of your control!

 

[rosemarythyme]

How long have the chicks been in line of sight of the older birds? How much clutter and feeding spots are in the run? I see some stuff in there, but a photo taken from further back could help.

Adding a new adult will NOT help the situation.

This is my integration article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ There's several others with variants on the same idea (obstacles, safe spaces). My current group of chicks integrated in well enough that they were roosting in the coop with the adults at 4 weeks, 1 day old.

 

[Onyxflock]

How long have the chicks been in line of sight of the older birds? How much clutter and feeding spots are in the run? I see some stuff in there, but a photo taken from further back could help.

Adding a new adult will NOT help the situation.

This is my integration article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ There's several others with variants on the same idea (obstacles, safe spaces). My current group of chicks integrated in well enough that they were roosting in the coop with the adults at 4 weeks, 1 day old.

This is a great article- thank you!
The babies have been inside the coop - as you did with your old Brooder, I did with my old Rooster house. So the the ladies have been next to them in sight through the chicken wire. I put the 2 feeders across the fence from each other so they feed "together".

I have only let them out a couple of times - just to see how the hens reacted. That's what prompted me to call for help

I really like your idea of lifting the chicken wire to allow them to get in and out. I'm going to do that and supervise for a while. They run that way anyway, but get beat up when they can't get back in. Yesterday I made some adjustments, giving them more yard space. But they really love the big yard.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have only let them out a couple of times - just to see how the hens reacted. That's what prompted me to call for help

I really like your idea of lifting the chicken wire to allow them to get in and out. I'm going to do that and supervise for a while. They run that way anyway, but get beat up when they can't get back in. Yesterday I made some adjustments, giving them more yard space. But they really love the big yard.

Even with a long see but don't touch period and chicks/hens eating across from each other, expect some hens to be downright nasty. But as long as no one is getting injured, I don't intervene - the chicks need to learn to show some deference to the hens, and they need to learn that some hens have lower tolerance for them than others.

Hopefully by adding a "chick only" space your babies will feel a little more confident in exploring the run and will also quickly learn to run away as needed to protect themselves.