Bully chickens to see or not to see?

[jolenesdad]

I’ve got 6 one year old hens and 4 20 week old pullets. The pullets have been in a run inside my large horse barn aisleway and the hens in their nighttime coop in the garage.

Three of my older hens are complete and total bullies. The pullets won’t range and stay confined to a corner of the barn all day. Every attempt I’ve made at integration results in feathers EVERYWHERE.

If I take the three bullies out and put them in dog crates, do they need to be somewhere where they can’t be seen? What about heard? Today I put them in a dog crate right next to the nighttime coop, because I’ve read both where they can be seen and where they can’t... what is best?

My hope is I can turn the tide and bond the 4 pullets to the kind older hens and then reintroduce the bullies before just rehoming them.

Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would confine them within sight of everyone. I would also do short supervised mingling with each every few days to see if it improves. It could be you can do one at a time, and it works better that way.

It can also help to give the chicks places they can squeeze under or through that the bigger birds can't to escape as necessary.

 

[aart]

Do you have multiple feed and water stations set up all at least a few feet apart?
How long and how many times have you tried to integrate?

Agrees, dog crate 'jails' in sight of flock for the bullies.
Leave them confined 24/7 for a few days then let one out at time allowing acclimation before allowing another out. If they misbehave, back into crate.
Will be some mix and match chicken juggling, could take a couple weeks to work it out.

 

[jolenesdad]

Thanks aart for the comments.

I do have a couple waterers out, but not feed. I keep the feed in the coops/runs since they free range all day and they go back and forth. I guess I need to add some outdoor feeding stations? I’ve thought of that before to maybe keep their ranging size down, but didn’t think of this for that. I’ve been OCDabout keeping the feeders full, but a few more spots for a feeder may calm the nerves of the older chickens.

Thanks!!!

 

[aart]

I keep the feed in the coops/runs since they free range all day and they go back and forth. I guess I need to add some outdoor feeding stations?

Not quite sure of your setup, you mentioned the barn and now coops and runs.
Put the feed and water stations in various places so the newbies can eat and drink without being harassed by the older birds....exactly where to put them you'll have to use your judgement.

 

[jolenesdad]

Their coops are more like a run, not a solid enclosure because they are indoors. It’s more the setup of a run, with roosts, but I treat it like a coop, using it at night. They free range and go out on about 2-3 acres of 20. They stay pretty close to the activity in the barn. I think I’ll setup a few extra daytime stations on the driveway behind the barn between the barn and the compost piles and field they range in.

 

[aart]

I see....sounds like 'coops' to me Are they predator proof and locked up at night?
....and part of your barn is a sheltered 'ranging' area that they have free access too during the day?

My 'coop' is basically a framed mesh box inside part of a large shed,
I call it the coop because it's weather and predator proof, where they sleep and lay...
...but they also have mesh runs outside(no free ranging here).