How do I make my chickens get along?

[ErikCH]

Hey . I have just recently bought a few different breeds (Wyandotte , Araucana and Copper Maran) varying ages, but all under 5 months. At the moment, it seems I have to keep most of them separate from each other because they fight. Will I eventually be able to keep them all together?

 

[deidreg]

Are they injuring each other? If not, they may be establishing their pecking order.

 

[ErikCH]

I don’t let them stay at it long enough for any to get injured. Haha. But the Araucana seem quite aggressive.

 

[deidreg]

I'm too new to be an authority, though I will likely face this when I get four new hens in the fall. I plan to watch them closely, but let them sort it out. Unless someone is getting injured. Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can't make them get along.

All these birds are newly acquired from different sources? How recently did you get them? How did you integrate them, or did you just throw them all together? Since these are young birds and sounds like all new to the environment it's pecking order stuff - as long as they're not wounding each other I would not interfere.

Also what does your coop and run look like? Run especially... is there ample space (exact measurements or a photo would help) and clutter to provide hiding spots and to serve as a distraction?

 

[ErikCH]

I'm too new to be an authority, though I will likely face this when I get four new hens in the fall. I plan to watch them closely, but let them sort it out. Unless someone is getting injured. Good luck!

Thanks for the input!

 

[ErikCH]

You can't make them get along.

All these birds are newly acquired from different sources? How recently did you get them? How did you integrate them, or did you just throw them all together? Since these are young birds and sounds like all new to the environment it's pecking order stuff - as long as they're not wounding each other I would not interfere.

Also what does your coop and run look like? Run especially... is there ample space (exact measurements or a photo would help) and clutter to provide hiding spots and to serve as a distraction?

I started out a few years ago with just a few ISA brown hens and I kept them in the biggest coop on the left of the photo and let them out freely on our property. Once or twice a year an eagle or hawk would pick one off. We have two of those breed left that still occupy this coop.
This spring I built the mobile coop to the right and fenced in a piece of land for them to stay in.
Also this spring, I bought 5 Araucana (purchased at 6 weeks old) chicks and 5 Wyandotte chicks (purchased at 2 days old)
raised them separately for a some more weeks.
When the Aracuanas were old enough I moved them to mobile coop. And then opened them out into the fenced in area. Even though all these Araucana turned out to be males, the two brown hens still boss them around but don’t hurt them.
Then I moved the Wyandotte into the mobile coop when they were old enough.
Now the Araucana are afraid to sleep with the brown hens in the bigger coop so they just stay outside all the time. I tried put them in a couple evenings but they will never go in on their own.
Also, I have tried to let the Wyandotte out (they turned out to be 3 female and 2 male)
but the Araucana males attack them pretty aggressively. So I just keep them in the mobile coop.
I was able to give away two of the male Araucana, and then I went back and bought two more females who are now about 2 months. Those are in the smallest coop in the middle.
Lastly a bought two copper Maran about 2 months as well and everywhere I try to keep them others seem to want to attack them quite aggressively. I tried to let it go but I saw a little blood on one of the combs, so I separated them again.

 

[MotherOHens]

Whoa-- seems like you have lots of elements in motion.
Perhaps you could start by putting the more mild tempered ones in closest proximity.
If these make up the larger group, it would stand to reason that the pecking order they establish would be the bar set for those who are added after.
What is your ultimate goal? Putting everyone together or having multiple groups? Have you considered building a more spacious coop to give them additional space? Maybe sell or repurpose the ones you have? My pullets are exceptionally territorial and am working to add an additions to my little herd before late autumn. In order to balance their gut reaction of 'Hey, this is MINE!', I plan to move the coop to another angle and change up the run a little bit. Maybe even paint so it feels like home to my established ladies but they get to process new info just as those I add. I hope it will make for an easier transition.
Your flock sounds like it is beautiful and diverse! I hope it goes as smooth as possible and they are all together in harmony very soon.

 

[aart]

I'm confused, could you simply list the number of birds and their current ages?
Knowing your goals would help too.

First, I'd get rid of all the males, except maybe one if you want to hatch in the future.

It's going to take time to get them all together.
Here's some things to think about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your set up looks decently spacious as far as run space, could probably use more clutter and more feeding stations (not sure how many you have) though the coops do help break up the space. I know some folks like doing a bunch of small coops though I don't have experience with managing that way.

Sounds like (if I understand correctly) you have something like 4 or 5 subflocks and were already having integration issues, then new birds kept getting added in so nothing ever quite settled. Were any of the newer birds ever successfully integrated in with previous ones?