Easter eggers/ Americauna/ Aracana aggression

[Barry42001]

I was transferring the larger juvenile delinquent birds over to the " big Bird " side hearing a malicious rumor the is best time a day doing as it gets dark. I have been pecked before, clawed, beat with wings from prostesting birds. I have never had all 3 including being bitten till now Lol. Any thoughts on calming the little twerps down lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Don't do the night thing. Chickens know a strange bird when they see one, and you could end up with dead or injured birds. A slower introduction through a fence for a week or two is a better option.

 

[Barry42001]

They shared a common screened wall in a modified dog runs the runs are 10ft x 10ft x8ft high so 20ft x 20ft x 8 ft that are joined together. The delinquents have spent 3 weeks there so the adult birds know they are there and longed to steal their food lol
Expect the peck order to be in effect.

 

[Cryss]

I kept my 2 new younger gals inside the run in a dog cage with tarps covering at night. They stayed there for 2 weeks. I scattered treats around the very edges of the cage bars inside and out forcing all the chooks to eat together.they could even reach through the bars enough to pick some bits from the opposite side of the wire cage but not able to injure each other.after 2 weeks we opened the cage door and let the newbies come out at will. We left it open in case they had to run back inside. We stayed with them to watch. After an hour it was obvious the cage wasn't needed. Yes, there was pecking and retreats to other parts of the run, but nothing serious. We removed the cage, watched for another hour now that the cage was gone giving them more room. All went well. That night we went to close up the coop and found the newbies still outside, the older gals had gone to bed. We expected that. What we hadn't anticipated was the newbies crying! They didn't know where to go or what to do now that it was getting dark. They were so upset that the home they knew was gone. It was heartwrenching! We picked them up, put them in with the rest, and closed the door. The next day all went well. That night as we walked to the run all was silent. No crying. They had followed the gals inside and were calmly roosting. I guess the older gals taught them how. This was quite a contrast to when we first got those older gals. We tried twice locking them inside the coop for a few days so they would know where they lived. No good. Every night for more than 3 weeks we had to put them inside at night. We're about to get 2 more pullets and plan to use the same cage method for them. I hope this works with them and all the older gals teach them too.

 

[aart]

They shared a common screened wall in a modified dog runs the runs are 10ft x 10ft x8ft high so 20ft x 20ft x 8 ft that are joined together. The delinquents have spent 3 weeks there so the adult birds know they are there and longed to steal their food lol
Expect the peck order to be in effect.

The 'see no touch' part is just the beginning of integration.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[Barry42001]

Chicken integration going well one particularly miserable black Australorp hybrid insisted on trying to steal food from the separate place I was feeding the juvenile delinquents I chased her off a few times and she gave up on it at least while I was there LOL but no unnecessary attacks they have plenty of space about a half acre to spread out into and get away from each other