Boss Hens????

[aart]

One set is about a month old and the second set is 3 weeks. I have noticed a lot of jealously when it comes to eating. One is always concerned with what everyone has even though they all have the same thing

Oh you've only just begun! Welcome to BYC!
But the pecking order does start early...and will likely change as they grow, it's often a fluid thing.

First set of 6 has two RIR and four ISA-B. The second set of 6 is all RIR and they just like to charge each other almost in a playing manner.

They will mock/play fight.

Here's my notes on integration, it might help you understand behaviors and how to minimize conflict even if birds are already all living together.
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Oh boy!

My personal experience is that the RIR's and the ISA-B's need a LOT of space when they are a flock together! They are the worst combo that I have ever had... I have them with my Asian's and my lone Red Ranger.

They can be merged into one flock. Please follow the suggestions that were posted.

What I do with THAT flock is multiple eating stations and one drinking station. They aren't much for drinking water, so I have started adding it to the fermented feed. They slurp it up that way. I remove dirty dishes immediately so that they have more room and learn about feeding time, play time, sleep time.

I have a smaller space for sleeping. During the day, I give them double plus the amount of space. I use an old king size top sheet and drop it over the kennel fence to provide a back drop. Lol. The chickens play hide and seek often. The Asian's go back there. And the ISA-B if they can't get to a high enough spot. Then they rotate. All I have to do is shake the sheet and they all scream and come scurrying out. (It's so adorable. They are still babies, so lots of adorable moments.)

The ISA-B are the more dominant, in the "I want to be on the highest spot". One is always sitting on top of the water station. When I did dry feed, one always had to be on top of that too. The RIR are the more dominant, in the "this is the ground, move out of my way brown chickie."

The ISA-B are quick to "get food" off another bird. Gentle pecking. Once they start, the RIR's start in too on the same bird. It can be aggressive - I mean competitive - very quickly. My ISA-B are smaller/slower growers than the RIR.

Overall, it's a been a learning experience with these two breeds together. I won't change it - just learn from it.

Make sure they have a LOT of space to run around in. I do mean as much as you can. The space I give them changes a bit from day to day, as I use a kennel fence to protect them.

Watch/check often that they are not pulling at the feathers of another chick in the flock. I watched mine - and it was really a gentle, "here let me get that for you" which turned competitive very quickly. I had to separate out my girls for a bit.

** I have many chickens gently remove what they think is food from another chicken's body. And that is that. No pecking. No feather pulling. No fighting. Just helping another chicken out. That is what happens here. Then the other breed (usually RIR) will come over and say they can do it better. And literally, the two breeds look at each other and go to town on the poor bird in the middle. The rest of the group crowds in to watch.****

They will be able to go outside soon. I am too looking forward to that! (Except for the carrying back and forth part.) And then they can free range!