Hi, I am new to this site, and new to having chickens. I have had some problems. First hatch failed, second hatch resulted in 7 chicks, but 6 died in 40 minutes at 2 days old. (??) I went out and bought 6 more to put with Lucky. These chicks are now almost 4 months old. I ended up having 3 roos so I found homes for two of them, and just a week ago I lost two of my hens to some critter. (they are free ranging and my dogs now are on full duty critter patrol.) SO I'm down to 2 hens and Lucky who is a Sussex Roo.
I got a pullet hen from a friend who is a Braham. She is a sweet thing and I figure at least a month or so younger than my remaining chickens. Lucky chases the new chick scaring the daylights out of her. Sometimes the two red hens will join in. I can intervene and they will stop. No real damage has occurred to the new chick other than a few pulled feathers. The new chick knows to run to me for safety, knows to hide, etc. What can I do to help them all get along? Will they ever get along? I have a really hard time just sitting back and not intervening. I can't let that cute little chick get pummeled. They do all sleep in the coop together without incident, however, I have to put the new chick in after the others have settled in. She doesn't like being in there, but has learned to settle and hide in the nest boxes. In the morning, she jumps out of the coop immediately into my hands or shoulder! It has been a week or so now and the older chicks are slowly "tolerating" the new one, but Lucky will still on occasion attack her. He will even stalk her. Will they do real damage to her or kill her? Is it silly of me to intervene being an over protected mother? Thanks for any advice.
I got a pullet hen from a friend who is a Braham. She is a sweet thing and I figure at least a month or so younger than my remaining chickens. Lucky chases the new chick scaring the daylights out of her. Sometimes the two red hens will join in. I can intervene and they will stop. No real damage has occurred to the new chick other than a few pulled feathers. The new chick knows to run to me for safety, knows to hide, etc. What can I do to help them all get along? Will they ever get along? I have a really hard time just sitting back and not intervening. I can't let that cute little chick get pummeled. They do all sleep in the coop together without incident, however, I have to put the new chick in after the others have settled in. She doesn't like being in there, but has learned to settle and hide in the nest boxes. In the morning, she jumps out of the coop immediately into my hands or shoulder! It has been a week or so now and the older chicks are slowly "tolerating" the new one, but Lucky will still on occasion attack her. He will even stalk her. Will they do real damage to her or kill her? Is it silly of me to intervene being an over protected mother? Thanks for any advice.
