Hens fighting younger chickens

[Sabrina1988]

I bought chickens in late March. I bought 3 more in April about about 3 weeks difference in age. When I tried to put them together about 2 months ago they started packing them instantly so we separated them in a small section of the pen. They have stayed in there all the time so I figured 2 months was plenty of time. I put them together last night and they did ok today is another story I go outside and one of the smaller hens has a bloody back where they have pecked her feathers put and the other 2 small ones were scared and in the corner trying to stay safe away from the big ones. We have 16 big ones and 3 smaller ones again they only have 3 weeks difference in age but I don't know what to do other then get rid of the smaller ones which I hate to do because they are my Americanas

 

[PD-Riverman]

Yea no matter how you try to introduce---some times you can mix, some times you can't without a lot of hurt, bloody chicks, even killed.
I never mix as I state so many times----I keep them separated and wait until they are grown before I would think about introducing-----at least then they are big enough to some what protect themselves.

I am not going to put them together and watch the older peck, hurt them, just Like most would do with their Kids----if they were at the park and a big kid hurt their small kid----them parents would Hit the ceiling to protect their kids----but these same allow their chicks to get pecked on, torn up, even killed----I just am not going to do it. Pecking Order they say----A adult pecking on a chick can kill it quick---no such thing on my place with a grown hen pecking a young chick----adults scrabbling some I can deal with some----but not a adult on a chick.

Some have no problems----its just according to the breed of chickens a lot of times. Good Luck

 

[keesmom]

How exactly are you introducing them? Have the pens been side by side so they can see each other before you let them mingle?

How much space do your birds have? How big is the coop and run they are in?

 

[MaryZoe]

I have chickens from 3 days old (with mama) to 4 weeks old (usually with mama) to 6-8 weeks old (on their own) to several months to several years old, all together. They free range and they all have their own coops/cages to retreat to. The littles always have escape routes where the ladies cannot reach them. I also have a rooster who is a gentleman and looks out for all of them. I have never found a chick who has more than a little red spot on her beak from where someone pecked her away from a food source. The key is to give the littles plenty of space for escape if need be. It's also very important to have several sources of food and water, so if they're chased away from one (or two), they can still find other sources. These can be made cheaply by putting rubber bands around recycled/reused large lids (the rubber bands section the lid so it looks like slices of pizza) and filling it with feed/water for your little guys.

If you cannot provide escapes/separate spaces for the little chickens, I would do as Riverman suggests and not put them together at all until they are all the same size. A bloodied back cannot be a pleasant experience, and once it's red it becomes a target. I wouldn't want 16 large chickens pecking at my back!

Good luck!

 

[Sabrina1988]

I for sure seperated them again, i didn't know how bad it was until I got them separated. I hope I can save her the little ones have a 8x4 pen. And the big ones have a huge space. They had seperate water and feed but they picked on only one to the point of blood. She actually has a hole in her meat. So now I have to get it cleaned and hopefully healed.