My first 15 hens are 2 years old going on 3, so today I bought 14 new chicks to keep the egg production high, even when my older girls egg laying start to decline. I got 4 Noir maran, 4 Buff Orphington and 6 Easter Eggers. The Marans and the Orphingtons looked to be about a week older than the Easter Eggers. However when they were all in the same brooder, I never saw any bullying.
The Marans and Buff Orphington were fully feathered last week, so I put them outside into the house/chicken yard I had made for the new chicks. It is fenced off but right next to the chicken yard of the older hens. The hens have about 300 sq feet and the chicks have about 150 sq feet.
The new chicks seemed to get along fine, although each hangs out with their own kind.
After a week, I removed the Easter Eggers from the brooder and into their hen house yesterday. The boldest one went down the ladder and mingled with the other chicks, and the Marans looked startled, and then began to peck the Easter Egger. I watched while the Easter Egger was chased from the food, and one of the Marans followed and pecked it again, with the Easter Egger crying in distress. There were about 5 pecks in about 2 to three minutes . I gathered the Easter Eggers up and put them back into the brooder where they have been for the past two days,
The house is small but their run is plenty big for birds that size, about 150 sq feet. The Easter Eggers are noticeable smaller than the other chickens.
What can I do to help them?
Should I just put them all together and hope they work it out?
Should I subdivide their living area and run in half and keep the two groups separated?
Should I put the Marans in with the full grown hens and let the Orphingtons and Easter Eggers have the smaller chicken yard to themselves?
Any solutions would be appreciated.
The Marans and Buff Orphington were fully feathered last week, so I put them outside into the house/chicken yard I had made for the new chicks. It is fenced off but right next to the chicken yard of the older hens. The hens have about 300 sq feet and the chicks have about 150 sq feet.
The new chicks seemed to get along fine, although each hangs out with their own kind.
After a week, I removed the Easter Eggers from the brooder and into their hen house yesterday. The boldest one went down the ladder and mingled with the other chicks, and the Marans looked startled, and then began to peck the Easter Egger. I watched while the Easter Egger was chased from the food, and one of the Marans followed and pecked it again, with the Easter Egger crying in distress. There were about 5 pecks in about 2 to three minutes . I gathered the Easter Eggers up and put them back into the brooder where they have been for the past two days,
The house is small but their run is plenty big for birds that size, about 150 sq feet. The Easter Eggers are noticeable smaller than the other chickens.
What can I do to help them?
Should I just put them all together and hope they work it out?
Should I subdivide their living area and run in half and keep the two groups separated?
Should I put the Marans in with the full grown hens and let the Orphingtons and Easter Eggers have the smaller chicken yard to themselves?
Any solutions would be appreciated.
