Help! One of our chickens keeps hurting the chicks.

[lubird]

We have 2 buffs that are about a year old. We have 2 new chicks about 12 weeks now and we are trying to have them both in the same coop. It is a new coop to both of them. One buff Minnie is just fine with the new girls. Our other Buff Dolphin not so much. She was pecking on them yesterdaybut nothing bad this morning she had one pinned down and really going after her. Help what do we do? Iknow probably separate them but do we remove the aggressor and put her behind wire? Is there any hope that they will live peacefully together?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

She is drawing blood? If there is blood or any sort of injury then separate the birds and keep them pinned next to each other so they can see each other but not touch each other. Wait for a few weeks until they are more similar in size and then try again. If there is no blood or injury then you just have to let them work it out. This is how they establish a pecking order and is normal. You just need to monitor to make sure it doesn't get too violent.

 

[donrae]

Personally, I think 12 weeks is too young to hold their own against adult hens. I've had dead chicks when I've tried this. Keep the younger birds out for another month or so, when they're roughly the same size and cluck instead of peep.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I agree with donrae, it's best to wait until the chicks are more mature and can hold their own.

 

[lubird]

they are now together but separated by wire. We don't have anywhere else to put them. Hopefully they can make friends that way. It is only the one that is the problem. Our other one mothers them and protects them by body blocking the other one.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

they are now together but separated by wire. We don't have anywhere else to put them. Hopefully they can make friends that way. It is only the one that is the problem. Our other one mothers them and protects them by body blocking the other one.

This is a good solution. You can try integration again in a month or so.

 

[rookiefarmers]

If the one is mothering them, maybe she can stay with them and just the bully be separated for the next month. Then she will be odd man out when you reintegrate them. Strength in numbers. we had a runt and girl with a deformed leg in our older group of chicks and they were bullied AWFUL so when we got out second round we cautiously put them together and they became sisters and they all love each other. When we reintegrated them with the older ones, they went unnoticed and all went well.

 

[lubird]

The weird thing they all are ok sleeping together. We just separated the naughty one. I love our other Buff she was sleeping with the Easter Egger the past few nights.