Chickens afraid of new chicks

[fergusonlitch]

Our original flock of six is about 3 years old so at the biginning of June we got their eventual replacements. For the last 3-4 weeks the new chicks have been in a temporary run next to the main one in full view of the other. Yesterday we put the two groups together and the old girls are afraid of the new ones. If the chicks are out inthe run, the chickens are in the coop, when the chicks go in the coop the chickens are in the run. So question.....How long will this continue?

 

[boskelli1571]

Hahaha! Most people have the opposite problem!! They will eventually settle down, it's just like kids they have to do it on their time. Generally it will take a few weeks, sometimes longer. It seems that when the new ones start to lay they are considered 'flock members'.

 

[aart]

That is funny...how many chicks?
Sometimes if the new birds outnumber the old ones by a large margin, this can happen.

They will probably always be somewhat separate 'sub flocks' so to speak,
but that can change when the younger ones start laying.

 

[fergusonlitch]

Equal numbers 6 and 6. To make it even more interesting We also have an extremely broody hen (going on about 5 or 6 weeks). When we take her out of the nesting box, they all avoid her.

 

[aart]

Equal numbers 6 and 6. To make it even more interesting We also have an extremely broody hen (going on about 5 or 6 weeks). When we take her out of the nesting box, they all avoid her.

That part is not surprising...lol.

 

[Portugal Muscovy Novice]

@furgusonlitch I have the same problem. Did they eventually settle down? I just added 6 (6 more to come later today) chicks and the adult chickens (two years old) are back in the coop roosting and refusing to come out.

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

Ours similar, but it's because mama hen is somehow super protective and acts like a Valkyrie when another hen is a bit too close to the chicks.

I am quite surprise as the mama hen is originally at the bottom of pecking order, now she is on th top