Chickens keeping smaller chickens from eating

[sasc]

Evening we have 8 chickens about 13 wks keeping 6 other 7-8 week old chickens and 6 7-8 week old bantoms from eating and drinking we took out 3 roosters and put em in a pin just em and only have the rooster we are keeping and 4 hens with the the 7-8 week old chickens we have plenty of feeders and water for all of em so far we've been putting big chickens in coop to let smaller ones have time to eat drink etc without em any ideas how to have them all live together and how to have the older ones leave the lol guys alone? Thanks

 

[Chic Rustler]

I kinda ran into this as well. I have a few grown chickens and a bunch of different aged chicks. I put out several feeders and it seems to have done the trick. They have the old feeder, a new feeder thats under a lean to to keep it dry and another feeder stashed under the nest boxes. They have a 5 gallon water jug so they haven't been territorial aboit the water. It also helps to have a very oversized run

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.


Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, tho some info is outdated IMO:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock