robsiew
Hatching
- Jun 3, 2016
- 4
- 0
- 7
Hi! We have 3 1 year old hens and 5 11 week old pullets we are in the process of integrating. We live right in the center of the city on a city plot just to give you a sense of our space.
I built a temporary run for the pullets right next to the big girls. The older hens have a coop and decent sized run. I am able to have all the birds out free ranging in the yard together, but at night and when we are not around we put them into their respective places.
So, I'm having an issue with one hen. She has been bullied by one of our other hens and now she thinks it's her turn to bully the babies. The other two hens are respectful of the pullets... they just kind of stay to different sides of the yard and everyone is okay.
However, our other hen (Hazel), from the beginning has chased these poor pullets all around the yard. The pullets don't do anything (in fact they avoid her at all cost) and she comes charging at them from across the yard upsetting everyone. She also will pull feathers out of them is she happens to catch one. She has also taken over their "home" and goes in and prevents anyone from coming in. (that's where their food is).
The pullets are really too big to make a way in just for them... wherever they can fit the big girls can fit too.
I want to start getting the pullets used to the big coop and run, but Hazel corners them every single time and won't leave them alone. The other two big girls seem to be fine. They will chase them away from treats, etc. but I know that's normal. I have no idea how I'm going to be able to bring the little girls into the fold with Hazel.
Short of isolating Hazel is there anything I can do to train her not to go after the pullets? They are deathly afraid of her (she chased 4 out of the 5 over the fence into the neighbor's yard this morning!) so they don't go near her if they don't have to. But once they are in the coop and run they will be in close quarters.
Thanks for any advice you can give me! We only got 3 chicks last year to make sure raising chickens was for us. It was, so we wanted more this year, but in the future I will NOT try to combine different ages!
I built a temporary run for the pullets right next to the big girls. The older hens have a coop and decent sized run. I am able to have all the birds out free ranging in the yard together, but at night and when we are not around we put them into their respective places.
So, I'm having an issue with one hen. She has been bullied by one of our other hens and now she thinks it's her turn to bully the babies. The other two hens are respectful of the pullets... they just kind of stay to different sides of the yard and everyone is okay.
However, our other hen (Hazel), from the beginning has chased these poor pullets all around the yard. The pullets don't do anything (in fact they avoid her at all cost) and she comes charging at them from across the yard upsetting everyone. She also will pull feathers out of them is she happens to catch one. She has also taken over their "home" and goes in and prevents anyone from coming in. (that's where their food is).
The pullets are really too big to make a way in just for them... wherever they can fit the big girls can fit too.
I want to start getting the pullets used to the big coop and run, but Hazel corners them every single time and won't leave them alone. The other two big girls seem to be fine. They will chase them away from treats, etc. but I know that's normal. I have no idea how I'm going to be able to bring the little girls into the fold with Hazel.
Short of isolating Hazel is there anything I can do to train her not to go after the pullets? They are deathly afraid of her (she chased 4 out of the 5 over the fence into the neighbor's yard this morning!) so they don't go near her if they don't have to. But once they are in the coop and run they will be in close quarters.
Thanks for any advice you can give me! We only got 3 chicks last year to make sure raising chickens was for us. It was, so we wanted more this year, but in the future I will NOT try to combine different ages!