Holy mean roosters

[catsew]

I tried to take my baby out today and thought I'd introduce it to its future coop mates. BAD idea. I knew they could pick on anything new, but I didn't know it could happen that fast. I was ready for it, but they still pecked my baby before I stopped them. I feel horrible. I guess it will be several more months before we try it again.

 

[allieloveschickens]

chickens sure can be mean! It will be easier once the chick is the same size as they are, also if it has a buddy.

 

[catsew]

Yeah he's still a bit smaller, probably almost half size. They're only 1 month apart though.
I know they say they have to be close to the same size, but I thought maybe they could meet for a few minutes. I'm just glad I was prepared for what happened and didn't just throw him in with them or anything.

 

[Uzuri]

When you go to introduce them for good, let them spend some time (like a couple weeks) where they can see but not touch for a while. It's surprising how much this can help. Yes, when you take away the barrier there's still going to some fighting, but at that point it becomes all about pecking order and not about getting rid of an intruder. It looks just as bad from our point of view, but only the latter is likely to end up in dead chickens.

 

[JodyJo]

I just integrated in 3 9 week olds with my 16 20 week olds...I first put them in a cage inside the coop, I would let the older girls out to free range all day, leaving
the younger ones locked in the run. I can now, after about 3-4 weeks, let them all out together, and with only minor pecking.

Make sure the young ones can get away, to hide. Do it slowly and it should work. Yours aren't that the far apart in age...it shouldn't
take that long...it's hard to watch, but it has to be done, to determine the pecking order.

My three youngest still stick together, I don't think they will truly integrate in, till they are old enough for the
roosters to breed them...time will tell.

 

[BettyR]

I raise my chicks in a brooder pen in the chicken house. The older chickens can see and hear the babies but can't touch them. The brooder pen is made out of small weave hardware cloth so no beaks can get through. I keep the babies in the brooder until they are between 2 and 3 months old then I prop the wooden lid up and screw it into the wall so the babies can come and go as they please from the brooder. By this time the older chickens are used to them and everyone gets along great...I've never had a problem with fighting or pecking.

I keep the brooder in the chicken house all the time and on occasion I have used it as a hospital. I put an injured chicken in it to give the chicken time to heal without the others pecking it.

 

[catsew]

I guess when the time comes, I'm going to put the chick in a dog cage inside the coop/run and hopefully they'll get used to each other that way. The chick is just a single so it won't have any friends for back up. We'll also have to wait to see if its a hen/rooster. Cuz I'm 95% certain the other 2 are roosters. So I know I can't have 2 roosters and 1 hen and not sure how 3 roosters would be together.
I just wanted them together before winter since there's no way I am building another coop.