Chicks vs Older Hen

[kadylady]

Hi. New here.
I'm down to one older hen. Will be getting 8 - 10 chicks (sexlinks) soon. The last time we raised chicks we still had 3 older hens. We carefully integrated the chicks into the coop without much issue.
This time I'm actually wondering if the chicks may end up bullying the older hen. Has anyone has that problem?
Thanks.

 

[azygous]

If you raise the chicks in proximity to the older hen, you won't have a problem. Chicks are generally respectful of an older chicken. I've never had younger chickens badgering my older girls since they were always smaller when introduced. Chicks are quite aware that they can be destroyed easily by a larger chicken, so they learn to be very careful and respectful, and it carries into adulthood.

If you raise the chicks to maturity and then introduce them to the hen, yes, there may be conflict.

 

[kadylady]

If you raise the chicks in proximity to the older hen, you won't have a problem. Chicks are generally respectful of an older chicken. I've never had younger chickens badgering my older girls since they were always smaller when introduced. Chicks are quite aware that they can be destroyed easily by a larger chicken, so they learn to be very careful and respectful, and it carries into adulthood.

If you raise the chicks to maturity and then introduce them to the hen, yes, there may be conflict.

At what age should I

If you raise the chicks in proximity to the older hen, you won't have a problem. Chicks are generally respectful of an older chicken. I've never had younger chickens badgering my older girls since they were always smaller when introduced. Chicks are quite aware that they can be destroyed easily by a larger chicken, so they learn to be very careful and respectful, and it carries into adulthood.

If you raise the chicks to maturity and then introduce them to the hen, yes, there may be conflict.

At what age should I introduce them? Last time I had chicks, I let them play outside in a pen (supervised) while the older hens were free ranging. I can't remember how old they were when I started doing that. But I wanted the older girls to get used to them. This was obviously before they were introduced into the coop. This was more than six years ago. And I was learning as I went.

 

[azygous]

Before I started brooding in the run, I would wait until the chicks were two weeks old and then I began bringing them out on nice days to play in a sectioned off area of the run. I'd begin with just an hour and take them back inside when they began showing signs of chilling.

This served the double purposes of acclimatizing them to cooler temps and acquainting them with the flock. By age five or six weeks, they were moving into the coop with the adults, completely integrated. Now my chicks are mingling with the flock by age three weeks as they begin life with the flock. Here's my article on the topic of brooding outdoors. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

 

[kadylady]

Before I started brooding in the run, I would wait until the chicks were two weeks old and then I began bringing them out on nice days to play in a sectioned off area of the run. I'd begin with just an hour and take them back inside when they began showing signs of chilling.

This served the double purposes of acclimatizing them to cooler temps and acquainting them with the flock. By age five or six weeks, they were moving into the coop with the adults, completely integrated. Now my chicks are mingling with the flock by age three weeks as they begin life with the flock. Here's my article on the topic of brooding outdoors. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

Thank you so much!! Appreciate your input!

 

[kadylady]

Thank you so much!! Appreciate your input!

So I read your article. When you used the appliance box and cut an access opening in the front, how did you keep the chicks from trying to escape??

 

[azygous]

I'm laughing. They did try to escape. One would hop out onto my head, another onto my shoulder. I had to be alert. But the main idea was to be able to play with them whenever I felt like it. It was lots of fun.

But after I began brooding outside in the run, it opened up an entire new big world for all of us. I could then get right in there with them. It makes for enormously friendly chickens. It's pretty close to me living out there with them.

 

[kadylady]

I'm laughing. They did try to escape. One would hop out onto my head, another onto my shoulder. I had to be alert. But the main idea was to be able to play with them whenever I felt like it. It was lots of fun.

But after I began brooding outside in the run, it opened up an entire new big world for all of us. I could then get right in there with them. It makes for enormously friendly chickens. It's pretty close to me living out there with them.

Ok. I'll see what I can devise. Lol. Thanks for all your help!