Hopefully in the Right Forum - New Chickens

[lmdengler]

Good Morning - Last week I was a Chicken Lady without Chickens. Then a Chicken Lady with a Coop without chickens. Now ...... I have a chicken coop and I think too many chickens! I have 8 girls and one rooster who are all about the same age (March 2017). Yesterday a co-worker heard I was starting up and said ....please please take 4 of mine. They are a year old. Well - my happy flock (the original 8)are now hunkered in the corner. The 4 yearlings are pushing them around - there are no fights the younger girls just seem scared. The rooster is getting picked on (he's a little younger). What should I do? Give some away? Will they adjust all adjust and get along?

 

[debid]

They will adjust and eventually be a united flock. It will be stressful for a few days, there is no getting around that. But if there isn't any blood and everyone is able to eat/drink, you need not intervene.

If the bigger ones are preventing the little ones from accessing food/water, add more places to get those. Perches above the line of sight helps. Adding roosts will ease bedtime stress.

If they are actually harming any of the younger ones, that can become a fatality quickly and you should immediately divide the space with fencing so they can see but not touch for a while.

The reason to get rid of some is if you're overcrowded. Overcrowded conditions leads to stress that doesn't resolve with time to become acquainted.

 

[keesmom]

G What should I do? Give some away? Will they adjust all adjust and get along?

What are the dimensions your coop? How about the run?