Combining pullets and hens

[DC_WIngnut]

Hello everyone,

We have seven mature hens in a coop some of which have begun to lay and a run attached to a grow out pen containing ten pullets. They are going on 8 weeks so I was wanting to combine them. I’ve made two entrance and exit doors for the pullets to go in and out of the run with the bigger girls and escape back to their pen. Some of them have gotten curious and gone in and at one point they all were almost in there together, but they got chased out by the bigger girls. I’m wondering what the timeframe looks like for them being comfortable with each other even though they’ve had look don’t touch privileges for weeks now. How many days should I give them to get comfortable and have their entrance and exit free for them to come and go before I close them and have them in with the big girls permanently? Like I said they have had face-to-face since they were almost 2 weeks old so they have seen each other it just seems like the bigger girls are being territorial over their space. I’ll attach some photos because I have done as others have said in cluttering up the run and having multiple food and water stations available for everyone. I also still have a food and water station in the grow out pen so I’m wondering if removing the food and water in the grow out would coax the pullets to go in by the bigger girls in order to eat and drink?
There is plenty of space for everybody inside and outside of the coop, but it seems like the pullets are accustomed to the grow out pen, so I’m not sure how to entice them to go into the other side because they do and they get bullied. Do I just need to give them a few days?

 

[Blue Raptor]

Hello everyone,

We have seven mature hens in a coop some of which have begun to lay and a run attached to a grow out pen containing ten pullets. They are going on 8 weeks so I was wanting to combine them. I’ve made two entrance and exit doors for the pullets to go in and out of the run with the bigger girls and escape back to their pen. Some of them have gotten curious and gone in and at one point they all were almost in there together, but they got chased out by the bigger girls. I’m wondering what the timeframe looks like for them being comfortable with each other even though they’ve had look don’t touch privileges for weeks now. How many days should I give them to get comfortable and have their entrance and exit free for them to come and go before I close them and have them in with the big girls permanently? Like I said they have had face-to-face since they were almost 2 weeks old so they have seen each other it just seems like the bigger girls are being territorial over their space. I’ll attach some photos because I have done as others have said in cluttering up the run and having multiple food and water stations available for everyone. I also still have a food and water station in the grow out pen so I’m wondering if removing the food and water in the grow out would coax the pullets to go in by the bigger girls in order to eat and drink?
There is plenty of space for everybody inside and outside of the coop, but it seems like the pullets are accustomed to the grow out pen, so I’m not sure how to entice them to go into the other side because they do and they get bullied. Do I just need to give them a few days?

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[HeritageFan]

Welcome!
How many days have you had the run cluttered and the doors installed?

In my experience, patience is key. I usually introduce new ducks to my duck flock while free ranging, and both groups have access to their “own” pens.

I don’t have quite as good of a setup for my turkeys (because they either want to fight, or leave, when free ranging lol) so I do the “look no touch” for a while (time frame varies based on age), and put them in the run together for a few days/ back into the separate coops at night until I see that everyone is getting along ok- then I put them all to bed together. And don’t sleep that night listening for a fight lol but it’s worked well so far!

There are often a few scuffles at first in the run/ in the yard, but they need to work out their pecking order and I don’t intervene unless something is going seriously wrong.

Best of luck w your integration they will work this out! Just remember to let them, apart from something going very seriously awry -

 

[DC_WIngnut]

Welcome!
How many days have you had the run cluttered and the doors installed?

In my experience, patience is key. I usually introduce new ducks to my duck flock while free ranging, and both groups have access to their “own” pens.

I don’t have quite as good of a setup for my turkeys (because they either want to fight, or leave, when free ranging lol) so I do the “look no touch” for a while (time frame varies based on age), and put them in the run together for a few days/ back into the separate coops at night until I see that everyone is getting along ok- then I put them all to bed together. And don’t sleep that night listening for a fight lol but it’s worked well so far!

There are often a few scuffles at first in the run/ in the yard, but they need to work out their pecking order and I don’t intervene unless something is going seriously wrong.

Best of luck w your integration they will work this out! Just remember to let them, apart from something going very seriously awry -

I wish we could free range. We have neighbors and their dogs occasionally ramble through our lot. Plus our pullets are so nutty I would expect a few of them to run off into the woods. Our run is sizable and the grow out pen is part of it just sectioned off. It seems like they are braving going on there and running back out but I’m going to give it a few more days and everyone extra treats. I’m going to leave their food and water in the GO pen for a few more days too so nobody gets bullied away from food or hydration.

 

[DC_WIngnut]

Welcome!
How many days have you had the run cluttered and the doors installed?

In my experience, patience is key. I usually introduce new ducks to my duck flock while free ranging, and both groups have access to their “own” pens.

I don’t have quite as good of a setup for my turkeys (because they either want to fight, or leave, when free ranging lol) so I do the “look no touch” for a while (time frame varies based on age), and put them in the run together for a few days/ back into the separate coops at night until I see that everyone is getting along ok- then I put them all to bed together. And don’t sleep that night listening for a fight lol but it’s worked well so far!

There are often a few scuffles at first in the run/ in the yard, but they need to work out their pecking order and I don’t intervene unless something is going seriously wrong.

Best of luck w your integration they will work this out! Just remember to let them, apart from something going very seriously awry -

I just cluttered the run 2 weeks ago and installed the doors this morning.

 

[Tonyroo]

Generally it's safer for the young ones to be close in size to your older ones to start allowing them to mingle.

It would be different if you were free ranging them, cause if the older hens get aggressive the young ones can run freely away from them and not get hurt.

 

[DC_WIngnut]

Integration took about 3 full days. They are still working out the pecking order but nothing serious. The younger ones seem to understand how to move along or jump up on something now. They’ve also started sharing food and water and have a third feeder in there for now until the little scuffles die down more. Things seem to be fine though. Younger ones aren’t roosting yet at night but I know that will come as they mature more. They seem to prefer the huddle snuggle for now.

 

[aart]

Younger ones aren’t roosting yet at night but I know that will come as they mature more.

Do they have a separate and a bit lower roost?