- Jul 2, 2009
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I have a small backyard flock. This year I have 4 "mature" girls and 2 newbies - one girl and one boy. I have always used the same process to integrate my new ones - a supervised hour a day for a week, then unsupervised time, slowly building up to all day and then overnight. Last year, I did have a problem - I rushed it because we were going out of town, and one of my babies got pecked to death. ;(
So this year, the supervised hour was going fine and then we were going away for the weekend. Not wanting to repeat my mistake, I just left the newbies in their baby accommodations. When I came back, I attempted to start where i left off - its a no go. I can't even put the new ones in there for a short time without my big girls beating the snot out of the rooster (they don't seem concerned about the girl, and they have lived with roosters before, so this is not that new).
So, I cordoned off part of the run and put the little ones in it during the day for a week thinking that would help. This week I started putting the little ones in the main part of the run for short times, and same result - they are pecking the rooster bloody, and he just buries his head in the corner.
Today I put them out there together and when I went out to check a little bit ago, the rooster had simply flown over the divider (it has to be low, so I can step over it, since there is not other access to the run other than the main door), and is hanging out in the young chicken area, while the old girls and the new girls are hanging out in the main area. I doubt the big girls will be able to cross the divider and get him, since they are a bit heftier and probably not that motivated to do so.
So, what now - do I leave him there and let HIM decide to fly back over? Will he ever? I don't think I can leave him there at night, since he would likely not cross over to sleep in the coop and its a bit cold here at night.
Sorry, this is so long, but I welcome any advice. I am FRUSTRATED!!!!
So this year, the supervised hour was going fine and then we were going away for the weekend. Not wanting to repeat my mistake, I just left the newbies in their baby accommodations. When I came back, I attempted to start where i left off - its a no go. I can't even put the new ones in there for a short time without my big girls beating the snot out of the rooster (they don't seem concerned about the girl, and they have lived with roosters before, so this is not that new).
So, I cordoned off part of the run and put the little ones in it during the day for a week thinking that would help. This week I started putting the little ones in the main part of the run for short times, and same result - they are pecking the rooster bloody, and he just buries his head in the corner.
Today I put them out there together and when I went out to check a little bit ago, the rooster had simply flown over the divider (it has to be low, so I can step over it, since there is not other access to the run other than the main door), and is hanging out in the young chicken area, while the old girls and the new girls are hanging out in the main area. I doubt the big girls will be able to cross the divider and get him, since they are a bit heftier and probably not that motivated to do so.
So, what now - do I leave him there and let HIM decide to fly back over? Will he ever? I don't think I can leave him there at night, since he would likely not cross over to sleep in the coop and its a bit cold here at night.
Sorry, this is so long, but I welcome any advice. I am FRUSTRATED!!!!
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