Combining Two Groups

[JWin]

We have three hens that are 12 weeks old (the bigs) and another three that are 7 weeks old (the littles). We’ve had the littles out during the day in a separate but adjacent run to the bigs for the last week or so. Today we allowed the two groups to mingle, first while free ranging and then in the bigs run.

Thus far they mostly ignore each other but when the bigs do wander close to the littles, the bigs fluff up then chase the littles briefly while the littles race to the far end of the run.

One of the bigs seems slightly more aggressive and will peck at tail feathers as the littles get close.

I know there’s going to be some fighting as they work it out but I’m not sure what to do next. On the one hand I’d love to have the littles sleep in the coop tonight but on the other, I’m worried there might be more aggression when I’m not there to supervise.

Does anyone have recommendations for next steps? Should I bring the littles in for another few nights until they’ve had more time together?

One additional factor - our bigs lost their rooster today (regimes out of the city) so their pecking order may already be up in the air.

 

[centrarchid]

Change around roosting arrangements so biggins do not feel like on home turf. For first even I would even go as far as to make so even biggins cannot rooster they want by blocking off or moving roosts. Combine groups frequently and plan so biggens introduced to littil's pens. Sometimes I through them all for a loop by introducing larger rooster into mix has he disrupts pecking order long enough for littels to integrate.

 

[aart]

Sounds pretty good so far, but yeah, sharing a run is not the same as sharing a coop.
How big is your coop and run in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics(inside and out) would help here.
Separate and lower roost for the littles really can help.
Watch they don't roost in the nests.

 

[lizo97]

I put a divider on my roost!

 

[centrarchid]

I put a divider on my roost!

That may get you there. Later you will be able to remove divider.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I'm far from an expert and really just my 2 cents worth. I solved(almost) a similar issue. At roosting time the bigs would go in the coop(automatic door) and the littles refused until I spent a night or 2 seeing why...seems the bigs set up a gauntlet of sorts they had to run through. Our solution was let(gate separating coop area) the littles in first to roost then the bigs. Yes by all means block off the nesting box(s) from the littles...they make a MESS in them....apparently the bigs scare it out of them lol

 

[aart]

the littles in first to roost then the bigs.

When I had 3 age groups(will never do that again-long story) I spent an hour or so watching the RoostTimeRumble for a few days in a row.
The bigs went into coop first, eating drinking vehemently chasing any younger bird out of the coop, then they went up on roosts.
Then the middleagers came in and did the exact.same.thing.
Finally the youngest were able to come in fill their crops and go to bed.

 

[lizo97]

@JWin Read my post -- I just integrated my older pullets with my younger ones.