How long do I have to keep them separated?

[SomeChickinTN]

I finally got my coop finished, and my chickens are in it (got my first egg today!)... The backstory is that I bought orpingtons before the coop was done, so a friend took them for me for awhile. She kept them separate from her chickens. Then she brought me my orps, plus 10 other chickens of various ages. Two of them are RIR hens.

The two reds have been beating on the orpingtons, who are almost 3 months old. So I wired off a section of the coop to put the orps in. The reds still try to get to them, though they can't. Everybody can still see each other. How long do I have to leave them like that before I can let them run together?

 

[DobieLover]

Until the RIRs stop trying to beat the snot out of the pullets.
When you first allow them to co-mingle again, let them free range. The more space the better. Lots of places where the pullets can get away and out of sight with multiple feed and water stations. Don't force them to roost together until they start to get along without a lot of issues.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Until the RIRs stop trying to beat the snot out of the pullets.
When you first allow them to co-mingle again, let them free range. The more space the better. Lots of places where the pullets can get away and out of sight with multiple feed and water stations. Don't force them to roost together until they start to get along without a lot of issues.

Ok. So I can try to take the wire down when the reds have pretty much stopped paying attention to them? When I put the chicken wire up today, they just would not stop trying to stick their heads through to get to them. Sadly, all the chickens spent last night co mingling because I didn't realize their was an issue until this morning when they were trying to hide behind the nest boxes. I put food on their side and they acted like they were starving.

 

[DobieLover]

Ok. So I can try to take the wire down when the reds have pretty much stopped paying attention to them? When I put the chicken wire up today, they just would not stop trying to stick their heads through to get to them. Sadly, all the chickens spent last night co mingling because I didn't realize their was an issue until this morning when they were trying to hide behind the nest boxes. I put food on their side and they acted like they were starving.

How much space is in your coop and run? How many chickens do you have in total? What are you feeding them?

 

[staceyj]

Reds are mean

 

[DobieLover]

Reds are mean

Mine is an angel! Now my Delaware...

 

[staceyj]

Mine is an angel! Now my Delaware...

I’ve got a wellsummer who weighs in at about 10 pounds. Rosey!
She’s such a booger I’m pretty sure she could slap the whiskers off my neighbor’s dog with one wing tied behind her back.
...which wouldn’t really be such a bad thing now that I think of it...

 

[DobieLover]

I’ve got a wellsummer who weighs in at about 10 pounds. Rosey!
She’s such a booger I’m pretty sure she could slap the whiskers off my neighbor’s dog with one wing tied behind her back.
...which wouldn’t really be such a bad thing now that I think of it...

Can I borrow her? My neighbors dogs could use a good face slap from a chicken! Heck, she can go ahead and knock the crap of them. It would do them a whole world of good.

 

[staceyj]

Idk which is actually worse.
The neighbors dog and it yapping or the neighbor scream his name...
“Simon! Simon honey, shutup!” Ugh.

Apologies to the OP,
My opinion is that you might have to keep them apart for a few days to let their emotions simmer down.
My orps are a pretty docile bunch. And the reason I even brought up Rosey is that she grabbed ahold of Dolly comb last year and swung her around until the comb tore off at the base.
It was a blood bath.
So just be out there with your sneakers and referee’s shirt on when you set them loose !

 

[SomeChickinTN]

How much space is in your coop and run? How many chickens do you have in total? What are you feeding them?

There's about 48 sqft in the coop. The run will be around 100 sqft. Maybe a bit bigger. It will be finished tomorrow. I figured it would be ok to home them in the coop while the run is finished.....