Chickens pecking chicks!

[chickenloverof5]

We recently introduced our new chicks to our two older chickens. They would run around the yard and see each other, and now they are in the same coop and run. Since we put them together, nothing bad has happened, but the older chickens are very territorial about both feeders. But this morning, when letting them all out of the coop, I noticed one of the little chicks had a little cut on the back of its head. I am pretty sure that it is from an older chicken. It is super minor, but just wanted to know if there is anything I should do about it, or tips to prevent! Thanks!

 

[Sasha-chickens]

all i could say is let the chicks learn until you see them getting majorly hurt or separate them

 

[Ms Clucky]

I squirted the chickens with a spray bottle and told them no. It worked for me.

 

[chickenloverof5]

UPDATE: We found the chick that had the cut earlier dead. The older chickens had pecked it to death. One of our chicks now has a gash in her neck as well. We put our chicks back into a box they were in until they went into the coop. What should I do? Will my chickens ever be okay with new chicks?

 

[Ms Clucky]

I had the same problem. Usually the mother hen would take care of the problem by making sure no one got even 2 feet to her babies, but or two babies would not pay attention to momma and wander off, which gave the other chickens an opening to chase it. We would just put water in a squirt bottle and just spray the chicken that was picking on the baby. Not in the face, but on the back and tell them to quit. Eventually they would get the message. One time we put hot pick on one of the babies { don't get this up your nose or in your eyes, it will make you cough and sneeze}. It is just spices, but it helps keep the chickens off the babies. Don't spray a lot on them, just spray on your fingers and wipe onto baby

 

[coach723]

How old are the chicks? When chicks are raised by a broody hen then she protects them while they learn and get old enough to stay out of the way. If they are brooder raised, they haven't had this opportunity. Normally when I integrate chicks I put them in a parallel run to the older birds, and feed each group on opposite sides of the wire. They get to see each other but no one can get hurt. After a period of this, I start letting the chicks in with the older birds for short periods supervised every day. When everyone is pretty much ignoring each other (there will always be pecking order spats but it should be a peck and a run and over) then I start leaving them in for the day. It sounds like yours are either too young to integrate yet, or you need to back up and take it slower for awhile with more 'look but don't touch' time. It's also a good idea to have more feeders so that they can't keep them away from all of them all the time. I never rush this process, sometimes it goes quickly and done in a few days, sometimes it takes longer, it just depends on the birds themselves.

 

[dawg53]

How old are the chicks? When chicks are raised by a broody hen then she protects them while they learn and get old enough to stay out of the way. If they are brooder raised, they haven't had this opportunity. Normally when I integrate chicks I put them in a parallel run to the older birds, and feed each group on opposite sides of the wire. They get to see each other but no one can get hurt. After a period of this, I start letting the chicks in with the older birds for short periods supervised every day. When everyone is pretty much ignoring each other (there will always be pecking order spats but it should be a peck and a run and over) then I start leaving them in for the day. It sounds like yours are either too young to integrate yet, or you need to back up and take it slower for awhile with more 'look but don't touch' time. It's also a good idea to have more feeders so that they can't keep them away from all of them all the time. I never rush this process, sometimes it goes quickly and done in a few days, sometimes it takes longer, it just depends on the birds themselves.

x2

 

[catbav]

I have enough feeders so that all of the hens can get feed without abnormal fighting. I have never put chicks under five weeks of age with the older hens. As long as there are multiple feeders and waterers, and enough space for all, there shouldn't be a problem?