Having one HECK of a time with integration. Help, please?

[spacecowgirl]

So here's the deal, and I'll try to keep it short...

About a month and a half ago, I decided to get three new chicks, to eventually add to my flock of four fully grown chickens. One of these fully grown chickens is a wonderful (to me) rooster.

I figured I'd keep the chicks inside until feathered out and then take them outside, separated, until big enough to let out with the others...you know the drill.

Well, My alpha hen, Brownie, throws a cog in the wheel when she injures her leg and can not walk enough to get in or out of the coop, so she's spent two weeks in the house. Also, every time I've brought her outside to visit the other (big) chickens, they've attacked her viciously!!! The only good that's come of this is that she's come to know the little chicks well while I let them out on the back deck together, and she's been too gimped to go after them.

Two days ago I separated the coop in two with chicken wire and have been keeping big Brownie and the chicks in one half, and the rooster and the two big hens in the other. They can see each other, can roost on the same post together, but today when I let Brownie out again, my rooster just had to have a piece of her, and so did her (ex) best friend, Helen....who also attacked her horribly!! I'd let them have it out, but Brownie still can't defend herself, and has a little trouble running away.

I corralled my rooster by stooping down and snuggling with him. He's a sucker for that...but I just know that if they are going after Brownie, who used to be the queen, how am I going to introduce the chicks without chicken wire in between?

I've thought about letting Brownie and the chicks out in the yard for a couple of hours while the big chickens stay inside, then switch out.

I've thought about putting my rooster, and maybe even the attacking hen, in chicken jail to give them an attitude adjustment while I let Brownie, the chicks, and my nicer fully grown chicken out to range for awhile.

It's just such a mess right now...it's like World War Chicken out there!

Any suggestions will be tried at this point, thanks in advance. Oh, and I forgot to add that one chick who escaped today was pursued mercilessly until I rescued him...

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Sometimes what happens out in the chicken coop makes Junior High School gym class sound tame...

Roosters often seem especially attracted to hens they haven't seen/been with for a while. I've seen this happen when a hen who has been out raising a family of chicks is returned to her home coop after being away from them for 6-10 weeks.

And the Pecking Order has also been rearranged in the hen's absence, and she is often relegated to the very bottom upon her return.

Chickens will also pick on those who seem weak or injured, so your gimpy hen is a special target.

You may need to keep the coop divided for a while longer, until your hen's leg is fully recovered. That will give the chicks time to grow larger & sturdier too. They will need to be fed chick feed until they're 18 weeks, were you planning to keep them separate until then or put them together and feed everyone chick feed (with oyster-shell grit offered separately)?

I think the more they are in proximity to each other the more they can work out their Poultry Politics with less risk of injury. You can start giving them short periods of recess together, lengthening the time together gradually. Start in the early evenings when they're more docile, just before roost. Give them all some tasty treat so it's a pleasant situation for them all, like a cocktail party. There may be some pecking & tussling, but as long as there isn't any real bullying or bleeding it should be okay.

 

[spacecowgirl]

That is wonderful advice! Thank you!!! I know I should wait until her leg is fully healed, but she wants out so bad...

And I am feeding chick starter, still, even to Brownie...she is still laying good hard eggs, and if they go soft I'll feed her egg shells back...I'm just worried about how long this integration is going to take. The scenario I described did take place at a bit before twilight, when I thought the big chickens would be sleepy and lethargic...didn't stop them, though.. sigh...Oh, and I brought them treats, too: corn on the cob and bread and green beans.

 

[bairo]

Chickens will also pick on those who seem weak or injured, so your gimpy hen is a special target.

You may need to keep the coop divided for a while longer, until your hen's leg is fully recovered. That will give the chicks time to grow larger & sturdier too. They will need to be fed chick feed until they're 18 weeks, were you planning to keep them separate until then or put them together and feed everyone chick feed (with oyster-shell grit offered separately)?

I think the more they are in proximity to each other the more they can work out their Poultry Politics with less risk of injury.

yep
Some great advice....unfortunately I've been there as well. The only other thing I could add is it is usually a little easier when the new ones out number the old ones (sounds like that might be your case) But def. follow the above posters advice and keep them separated until your hens leg is healed up. She will be #1 again in no time and pull the chicks right in with her.

 

[bairo]

Your last question.
its only an educated guess from my experience...but if your hens leg is good in two weeks, I would bet that is going to be long enough.

 

[dainerra]

keep in mind, that as long as she is injured, instinct is going to tell the other birds to drive her away from the flock. Injured animals attract predators in the wild.