Chick to flock introduction

[tiawieclaw]

Hello, I know this topic is widely talked about but I have a specific situation I am seeking advice for.
I have 10 8wk old chicks and 3 5yr old hens.
Slowly I have introduced the chicks with face to face interactions with the small flock, now my two large hens are completely fine with them, no signs of aggression or acting territorial, but my slightly smaller hen chases and attacks the chicks. For now I give the chicks a few hours outdoors with the friendly hens while isolating the bully hen, but is this causing more issues/ anger from the bully hen? Will she ever get nicer as they get older or is chicken soup the only option (kidding)
The chicks have a sectioned off part of the large coop where they stay overnight and when they aren’t in the run with the old hens.
Please give me advice on if I should adjust this set up. Should I give more supervised time with bully hen? Ive been stepping between and chasing her off slightly when she charges at a chick. Will she learn to stop somehow?

 

[tiawieclaw]

Also when isolated bully hen has fresh water and I add scratch and food for her to have some entertainment in the small run.. but she does not seem interested and just wants back in the big run

 

[DobieLover]

There's a big difference between asserting dominance and bullying. Chasing the pullets, they are not chicks anymore, away from her is perfectly fine. If she relentlessly pursues a pullet, corners her, attacks her and will not relent, that's bullying.

Can you please post pictures of your run? Is it full of clutter and lots of things for them to fly up and perch on with lots of litter on the ground for them to scratch in? Or is it just a big open empty barren space with nothing else to do but chase young pullets around?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Is she not ever leaving them alone? Is she pinning the chicks or drawing blood? If not I would let them work it out and let the chicks roost with the hens. The hen will stop once they all understand that the chicks are lower in the pecking order.

 

[tiawieclaw]

There's a big difference between asserting dominance and bullying. Chasing the pullets, they are not chicks anymore, away from her is perfectly fine. If she relentlessly pursues a pullet, corners her, attacks her and will not relent, that's bullying.

Can you please post pictures of your run? Is it full of clutter and lots of things for them to fly up and perch on with lots of litter on the ground for them to scratch in? Or is it just a big open empty barren space with nothing else to do but chase young pullets around?

It is definitely the bullying kind. I’m not at home right now but I can post a photo later, it’s a large dirt (previously grass.. but yknow chickens) area, we have placed grass shavings to reduce dust and spread is lots of grit and small eggshells for grit/calcium. Lots of tree branches between trees for perching and logs on the ground they peck around. Every morning scraps are thrown out and they snack on them throughout the day, lots of cabbage and lettuce and fruit. The other chickens have no problem sharing with the pullets. The older bully hardly seems interested in the food and goes after the pullets regardless, the pullets don’t care for the food anyway and peck at trees and the ground. There’s fresh food and water in the other side of the coop the pullets don’t enter (they just don’t care) only the large ones enter that, so for those reasons I don’t believe it to be a resource issue or enrichment issue? But I could be missing something. My theory is that she is the current leader of the flock? This is my first time introducing pullets.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My theory is that she is the current leader of the flock? This is my first time introducing pullets.

Is she the leader or are you asking if she's the leader?It's far more likely for the lowest ranked bird(s) to harass chicks.

Please describe the bullying behavior in more detail. As others have noted it's normal and permissible for her to chase them around or chase them away from resources. What is not is constant harassment even if the chicks move away from her/the resources, or cornering, or attacking to the point of injury. If you are stepping in to stop the former because you feel bad, don't - just walk away if you can't watch it. If it's the latter, then yes we need to see photos of the set up from multiple angles if possible, and you may need to add more clutter and more food and water stations to break up the space and spread out resources.