Flock not integrating

[DobieLover]

I am having a similar issue! I have 3 18 week old chicks..2 black lorps..1 is a rooster...and 1 barred rock. I have been trying to integrate 3 14 week d chicks..2 eggers and a Brahma...for weeks I let them free range together..me barred rock terrorized them..then put a barrier in the coop and kept separated..things seemed fine so I removed it...all hell broke loose..my barred rock wants to kill them...so yesterday I put her in time out in a bin...that’s all I have..so now my rooster is going after them..not as aggressive...but the little guys stay stuck in a corner..or on a perch and don’t move. I haven’t even put the barred rock back in yet! I have absolutely no idea what to do..this is my first flock and I’ve done everything I have read. How will I know when it’s time to call it a day and re-little ones. I still have the 3 little ones sleep in a brooder because I think they won’t get through the night in the coop with the other ones! Desperate...help me! Never thought integrating would be so stressful!!

How much space do you have?
It would be best to start your own thread as everyone has their own unique situation. If you are unsure how to do this, go to this forum and click on the "Post New Thread" blue button to start a new thread. Enter your title in the title bar then enter your text in the text box. Please also include pictures of your entire chicken keeping setup including dimensions as that is one of the key factors in successful flock integration. Good luck!!

 

[Jkchicks19]

I am having a similar issue! I have 3 18 week old chicks..2 black lorps..1 is a rooster...and 1 barred rock. I have been trying to integrate 3 14 week d chicks..2 eggers and a Brahma...for weeks I let them free range together..me barred rock terrorized them..then put a barrier in the coop and kept separated..things seemed fine so I removed it...all hell broke loose..my barred rock wants to kill them...so yesterday I put her in time out in a bin...that’s all I have..so now my rooster is going after them..not as aggressive...but the little guys stay stuck in a corner..or on a perch and don’t move. I haven’t even put the barred rock back in yet! I have absolutely no idea what to do..this is my first flock and I’ve done everything I have read. How will I know when it’s time to call it a day and re-little ones. I still have the 3 little ones sleep in a brooder because I think they won’t get through the night in the coop with the other ones! Desperate...help me! Never thought integrating would be so stressful!!

I had an aggressive barred rock hen. She had to wear pinless peepers (blinders) for a while. it stops the pecking. After a few months I removed them and she was much better, live and let live. These little plastic devices snap onto the nostrils and prevent forward vision. The chicken can still use peripheral vision, to eat, drink, forage etc.

I had read about them but wasn’t sure they would work...Thankyou..can I get them at tractor supply do you know? I forgot to mention..I have a 10x10 run attached to the coop..they are in this most of the time. I re-arranged it..hung an apple..lol I’ve tried everything. The funny thing is my barred rock is so human friendly and sweet...never expected her to be the terrorist!

 

[Orit]

I am having similar issues. My three 21-week old babies (Americauna, Buff Orpington, and Plymouth Barred Rock) are still not integrated with my 6 "adult" hen flock (Buff Orpington, Plymouth Barred Rock, 2 Red Stars, an old New Hampshire Red, and an Americauna). They can now (after many, many weeks) free-range in peace and I sometimes see them near each other (although they are definitely 2 distinct flocks). But in the run, where the space is tight, they stay up high on a roost. At night, I have to physically put them onto the roost in the coop (I have been doing this for almost 2 months now). And this is with a divider, so they can't see the older hens. I'm banking on things changing when the pullets start to lay. But there are no signs of that either, and I worry that is because there is so much stress in their lives. I'm giving it a few more weeks. It sounds from the number of posts here that this is a common problem, which does provide some comfort. Good luck to all of us who are still in the midst of this.