Emergency: 8 Week-olds pecking each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Reurra]

I was out in the garden when i heard awful noises coming from the coop, i went inside and at first everything looked normal, but when I inspected my 8 week old chicks, they had fresh peck marks on the bridge of thier noses where the beak comes out from the nostrils. Three of them have this.

I considered integrating the chicks with the older birds, but yesterday, when they met, Frightful promptly tore the feathers out of Dragons neck. Crackers wasnt so bad, but Frightful really gave the chicks a hard time so I put them back in their divided cage.

The problem is though Ive noticed a problem with the chicks picking Blue's back feathers. She is starting to go a bit bald. Now Nugget, Raven and Feathers all have small wounds on thier noses. Just tiny scabs but im concerned about further injuries. Thier little run is about 8x3, there is 5 of them and they all weigh about 2lbs. They have a perch and a little cubby to hide in, but they never go in there.

I know they are probably bored, but if i take them out Im worried that Frightful will rip them up, but if they are left in there they will tear each other up! The plan was to integrate them the Tuesday after this Tuesday.

What do I do??

 

[Suzierd]

I hate it when chickens act like that. Im not much help maybe this bump will get someone else to reply. I always would really watch my chickens and if there was one that was really mean I would get rid of it. Of course someone else might take it's place. But it worked for me. Something I do to keep them entertained is dig out a big clump of grass with dirt and all and put it in their run to peck at they love it. It's like a little piece of free range. The dirt keeps them from eating long stands that could get stuck in their crop. When their done with it I put it back in the hole it came from. I have enough land to do this if you have a small yard it might not be a good idea.
If any start bleeding I would separate them. Good luck.

 

[Reurra]

Thanks for the bump, I think I might try the grass trick! Only one has been mean but im hoping integration might change that.

 

[bj taylor]

if you have the room/place, putting a barrier up between the young ones & the older ones allows them to get acquainted without physical jeopardy. i put up a length of chicken wire between them. i cut a section at the bottom that allowed the little ones to come & go into the big girls pen. i made sure the cut had no sharp wires because they sometimes needed to run fast. when they felt brave they went into the other section. when they were under attack, they ran back into their little safety zone. it worked really well. after about 3 wks i took the chicken wire down.

 

[nbchickfarming]

I had problems mixing two groups( 4 week difference) the separation/integration took forever....still ongoing.... After 4 weeks complete separation i was able to decrease the wire to allow some mixing with safe areas... small holes in chick wire over nest boxes and partition wire. After 2 weeks of that i removed all wire added 2nd roost they would fight but no blood. Finally....the last two nights they are sleeping on same roost no problems within the coop (extra feeders water available) However the older girls don't tolerate the younger ones in the run yet. good luck hope its goes easier for you.