Do my 3.5 mo old chicks need more time to have more courage against mild aggression?

[Fontaine]

Space is not an issue. The 3 1/2 months old have been divided in a very large fenced area for two weeks from my 8 1/2 month old pullets. The Roost I have separated for now. The Pullets all get along fine with each other. I have a mix of Bantum‘s and regular size chickens . this week I tried to open the gate and let them co mingle. None of the pullets excepted the chicks being around, and they all chased and pecked and chased at every one of them. The Bantum‘s were as scary to them as the larger birds. so the chicks spent the whole day on top of the sunroom huddled in a group. As long as they stayed in their place, the pullets didn’t bother them. I couldn’t stand seeing them spend the day there with no food or water and terrified. There’s such sweet chicks I would have to say the same for my Pullets but now I’m calling them the mean girls. I know there is a pecking order to be established and so far the aggression is just Chase and peck. There’s no hurry integrating them, but I would like to sooner rather than later for convenience my question is, would more time allow the chicks to stand up for themselves? I even tried moving the group out of their area onto a big lawn space to see if that might work. It didn’t the pullets grazed in the chicks hid in the bushes. Any ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DobieLover]

The younger pullets will be leary of the older pullets and not fully accepted until they too start to lay.
You have a lot of space but not much in the way of clutter for the younger pullets to hide behind. I would add more "stuff" (wood chairs, pallets leaning up against the walls or each other to form a triangle, branches and stumps to perch on, dump in a few wheelbarrows full of dry leaves, etc.) to the run so they all can occupy themselves with better things to do than pummel the littles.

 

[Sally PB]

For ideas, check out this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[WoDia]

Here’s what I’ve done recently… once fully feathered, I kept my Serama chicks sectioned off from the adults. Everyday, I let them mingle with the others. Some are just scared. Some are more assertive. I placed them back into their safe place at night. I still have a few that are working on their courage, but most have begun to integrate fine. They get chased, but they’re also learning to be big boys and girls too. Multiple feeders, waterers, roosts, and hiding spots (like @DobieLover suggested) really do help.

 

[Fontaine]

The younger pullets will be leary of the older pullets and not fully accepted until they too start to lay.
You have a lot of space but not much in the way of clutter for the younger pullets to hide behind. I would add more "stuff" (wood chairs, pallets leaning up against the walls or each other to form a triangle, branches and stumps to perch on, dump in a few wheelbarrows full of dry leaves, etc.) to the run so they all can occupy themselves with better things to do than pummel the littles.

OK I can definitely do that. I have plenty of wood debris and just plain junk I can spread around .there’s a large area behind the coop. I can also put hiding spaces as it is pretty bare back there. Thanks!

 

[Fontaine]

For ideas, check out this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Thanks I’ll check it out