Flock integration weirdness

[egoodfel]

Hello, I'd appreciate your insight on my combined flock of two adult ISA Browns, plus three pullets, 2 of which are Ameraucanas and 1 Buff Orpington. The three younger ladies will NOT go out into the run, even when I let the older ones free range for the day. They guard the run (and everything else) from the pullets, who have their own sort of studio apartment on top of the nest boxes with food and water. I'm concerned that this integration is failing after 2+ weeks of living together. The ISA Browns are bigger and meaner, but I'm concerned the pullets are just going to live up on the roost bars in the coop forever. What can I do to facilitate them getting some outdoor time and generally being a bit bolder? I know getting pecked isn't fun, but this seems unhealthy.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello, I'd appreciate your insight on my combined flock of two adult ISA Browns, plus three pullets, 2 of which are Ameraucanas and 1 Buff Orpington. The three younger ladies will NOT go out into the run, even when I let the older ones free range for the day. They guard the run (and everything else) from the pullets, who have their own sort of studio apartment on top of the nest boxes with food and water. I'm concerned that this integration is failing after 2+ weeks of living together. The ISA Browns are bigger and meaner, but I'm concerned the pullets are just going to live up on the roost bars in the coop forever. What can I do to facilitate them getting some outdoor time and generally being a bit bolder? I know getting pecked isn't fun, but this seems unhealthy.

Can you please post pictures of your setup?
I would remove the pullets and put them in the run with the door open so they can free range if they want then let the older hens out after the pullets have had a chance to explore things by themselves for a bit.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Is everyone laying? For some reason pullets that aren't laying are even lower on the order than those that are laying

 

[egoodfel]

Is everyone laying? For some reason pullets that aren't laying are even lower on the order than those that are laying

Interesting! No, only the ISA Browns are laying.

 

[egoodfel]

Can you please post pictures of your setup?
I would remove the pullets and put them in the run with the door open so they can free range if they want then let the older hens out after the pullets have had a chance to explore things by themselves for a bit.

Sure thing. Here are the three pullets just above their "apartment" over the nest boxes. Even if I gently stuff them through the door to the run, they dash right back in and leap up to the upper areas.

 

[DobieLover]

Sure thing. Here are the three pullets just above their "apartment" over the nest boxes. Even if I gently stuff them through the door to the run, they dash right back in and leap up to the upper areas.
View attachment 2850208

Can you show pictures of the entire run in relation to the coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can you show pictures of the entire run in relation to the coop?

x2. Need to see the whole set up, coop and run, so we can see where changes can be made.

 

[egoodfel]

Sure, here's a view of the run, with that same little door as in the other picture.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you know what the width of the run is?

Issue with a narrow run is it doesn't allow lower ranked birds to safely pass higher ranked birds without getting into their personal space, so that causes them to get chased. If the new birds have already been chased around a bit, they're probably staying in the coop because it's "safe" in comparison.

Other issue is the run has zero clutter. Clutter provides hiding places, breaks line of sight for birds being chased, and keeps chickens occupied by giving them stuff to interact with. Clutter examples: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[aart]

Sure, here's a view of the run, with that same little door as in the other picture.

I see part of the run.
Back up and take pics of the entire run and entire coop, from a couple different angles.
Measurements of both coop and run would be good too.