I've only had chickens for about 2 years. My original flock consisted of 4 which through egg bound and eagle tragedy has led to my now having only 2. Which of COuRSE led me to purchase 13 new chicks this year from my local hatchery 
I had them in a separate box with a heat lamp etc until they got their first molt, and for various reasons I put this box in the coop with the big chickens. Once they outgrew the box I sectioned off both the coop (giving my 2 grown hens the large portion and the babes a much smaller portion allowing the hens to keep their preferred roosting seats
) I also sectioned off the run, also giving the big birds a huge posh section with the chicks getting the smaller. (My hens get to free range whenever I'm home) here is my lengthy question:
One of my older hens was extremely interested in the chicks before they finished their first molt: cooing in some weird tone I'd never heard her use, bringing worms and bugs to the chicks chicken wire, etc. after a couple days of that I was curious and let her into the run with the chicks. She was the picture of mommy-hood. Standing there an letting them do the curiosity peck, etc. the other hen really didn't seem to interested in them at all, so after a week of periodically letting "mama" in with them for a bit I let them both in with the chicks. The indifferent hen (we call her big Red) started chasing the chicks and pecking them as I expected and Mama came to their rescue. I thought I hit the noontime chicken lottery! That was the first time I put them all together (and obviously short lived my chicks are just now 6 weeks old so I only trusted this to last under close supervision). The next 1-2 times this was the situation with Red chasing hem around and mama (obviously he dominant of my 2 for whatever that is worth) keeping things civil.
Then things took a turn, and BOTH the hens are now chasing the chicks around whenever I let them into the run together. Of course I figure this is because the chicks are starting to look like chickens now and they are establishing the pecking order. No blood has been drawn but I'm always in the run with them when they are together and once I see constant chasing I open the door and let the big girls return to the garden.
I know this is part of natures course, and I should be grateful that so far no blood has been drawn, and I'm happy that the chicks now know to run away from the big girls, but whenever I go in to feed the chicks or play with them the big chickens come up to the wire and craw. I'm worried that I've reached a place where keeping them separated might make things worse once they are all together, but I know my chicks are still too little to be officially introduced- for long periods unsupervised. I know I don't want to wait until the chicks are full grown because, well it would be 13 to 2 and as you may be aware I'm a little attached to my girls.
I like the idea of the big chickens having immediate pecking seniority, but how do I know when the right time is to let them have at it? I would try the suggestion of letting the chicks have a smaller hold to run and hide to a different section of the run, but sometimes they are really stupid (God Bless them!) and can't find the big hole into the coop. They run to a section of the chicken wire that's close to the other chicks and stand there upset they can't get to heir flock, I'm worried this would happen when trying to hide from a hen and they would box themselves into a corner.
Obviously I want them to be past the chasing phase before I allow the chicks to free range, don't want any being chased into the woods or worse. Anyone have any guidance or do I just need a shot of courage and faith?
I had them in a separate box with a heat lamp etc until they got their first molt, and for various reasons I put this box in the coop with the big chickens. Once they outgrew the box I sectioned off both the coop (giving my 2 grown hens the large portion and the babes a much smaller portion allowing the hens to keep their preferred roosting seats
) I also sectioned off the run, also giving the big birds a huge posh section with the chicks getting the smaller. (My hens get to free range whenever I'm home) here is my lengthy question:One of my older hens was extremely interested in the chicks before they finished their first molt: cooing in some weird tone I'd never heard her use, bringing worms and bugs to the chicks chicken wire, etc. after a couple days of that I was curious and let her into the run with the chicks. She was the picture of mommy-hood. Standing there an letting them do the curiosity peck, etc. the other hen really didn't seem to interested in them at all, so after a week of periodically letting "mama" in with them for a bit I let them both in with the chicks. The indifferent hen (we call her big Red) started chasing the chicks and pecking them as I expected and Mama came to their rescue. I thought I hit the noontime chicken lottery! That was the first time I put them all together (and obviously short lived my chicks are just now 6 weeks old so I only trusted this to last under close supervision). The next 1-2 times this was the situation with Red chasing hem around and mama (obviously he dominant of my 2 for whatever that is worth) keeping things civil.
Then things took a turn, and BOTH the hens are now chasing the chicks around whenever I let them into the run together. Of course I figure this is because the chicks are starting to look like chickens now and they are establishing the pecking order. No blood has been drawn but I'm always in the run with them when they are together and once I see constant chasing I open the door and let the big girls return to the garden.
I know this is part of natures course, and I should be grateful that so far no blood has been drawn, and I'm happy that the chicks now know to run away from the big girls, but whenever I go in to feed the chicks or play with them the big chickens come up to the wire and craw. I'm worried that I've reached a place where keeping them separated might make things worse once they are all together, but I know my chicks are still too little to be officially introduced- for long periods unsupervised. I know I don't want to wait until the chicks are full grown because, well it would be 13 to 2 and as you may be aware I'm a little attached to my girls.
I like the idea of the big chickens having immediate pecking seniority, but how do I know when the right time is to let them have at it? I would try the suggestion of letting the chicks have a smaller hold to run and hide to a different section of the run, but sometimes they are really stupid (God Bless them!) and can't find the big hole into the coop. They run to a section of the chicken wire that's close to the other chicks and stand there upset they can't get to heir flock, I'm worried this would happen when trying to hide from a hen and they would box themselves into a corner.
Obviously I want them to be past the chasing phase before I allow the chicks to free range, don't want any being chased into the woods or worse. Anyone have any guidance or do I just need a shot of courage and faith?
