Chicken Madness!?!

[ashleytattoo]

So I have put my new chicks about 6 wk old in the coop with the 4mo olds and seperated the with chicken wire. they have been in there for a week and took down a section of wire while I was watching to see how they would get along and I have to say not well the Roos went after the little ones right off the bat they even jumped the wire and pulled all the feathers off one chicks neck. I really didnt want to have to get rid of the roos but now I am thinking i might have to in order to have a peaceful clan if anyone has suggestions I am willing to try just about any thing. I am thinking about just building the boys there own coop but I am afrade they will just fight each other then so please help!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I think 6 wk olds are too small to mix easily with older pullets. Even if the cockerels don't bother them, the pullets may. Most folks recommend waiting until the chicks are close to the same size. It might also help to introduce in a neutral area or put the younger ones on the roosts at night so they're just kind of there in the morning. Others have said to alter the environment to sort of distract the older ones and give the newbies places to hide.

Until they are closer in size, you can expect problems.

Best wishes!

 

[mkcolls]

I agree with Wishing4Wings, the 6wk old chicks are too small for a mixer at this time. Four month old cockerels are sexually active and they can hurt them. The four month old pullets can be vicious in their pecking. We hatched 34 chicks this spring that are 17 weeks old and 19 of them are male. Freezer camp is this month.

At this age I would not recommend putting the young ones in at night either.

I would put the wire back up until the little ones are bigger and have a fighting chance.

As far as a rooster pen, that is something that we have discussed, because our 1 year old hens have taking a beating from the frequent attentions, but the roosters have been vying for Alpha and placing them all in one pen could be ugly. Currently there are five of them and a couple may be joining the youngsters at freezer camp.

 

[centrarchid]

Sex may not be all that important when larger juveniles attack smaller juveniles from different group. It is simply interflock competition where the role of males is more obvious. With my flocks, females do the same but are simply less likely to take lead. When two flocks of juveniles interact, it is like gangs on a playground where high ranking members of one group leads attack on other group. Both groups contract and aggressors make a deep chuck-chuck-chuck sound and walk in a funny manner as starting to attack. Lots of language is involved.