How long is too long?

[Mrs. K]

What does the run look like? Many times it is a flat dimensional open run. Put in some roosts in the run. Put in some pallets leaned against a wall so that a bird can walk behind it. Set up a pallet up on cement blocks or saw horses. This will make the run look cluttered, but will actually multiply space, birds can get under or on top. If your fence is 8 feet high, there is a lot of space up off the ground available. Another add is a piece of plywood, set up right in the middle of the run, so that it blocks the view of the whole run. It really does not have to be real big, say 2 feet away from each side of the run. Put an extra feed station and water behind this, so that while at the main station, while feeding there, a bird behind this wall cannot be seen.

The advice on getting out of the dominant chickens sight is a very big part of chicken society. I have actually seen birds, get the look, the lower bird walks quickly away, behind the shelter walks back to the feed bowl and eats beside the dominant bird... within seconds. If your run is bare or empty of hide outs, the lower bird cannot do this.

Mrs K

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMO, your housing is a bit on the tight size. Your new girls have no where to hide, get out of sight, get far enough away to satisfy chicken behavior protocol. When the bully says "Move!", what she's really saying is, "Get out of my sight. Go far away, or I'm going to rip your face off!" The new girl can't go far enough away to satisfy that request. So, the bully has to make good on her threat. If they were out free ranging, the new girl could satisfy that request, and the bully would be satisfied that the new girl knows her place in the pecking order. But, if she can't get away, the bully has to keep disciplining her.

That and all the other posts along the same lines are good info.

IMHO, people don't plan well enough for either chicken math or predator death replacement birds.
At my chicken classes, sometimes people say they want to start with a couple birds and then expand later if they like it. I strongly advise against that strategy.

Birds that don't grow up together and be absorbed into an integral flock have issues that are innate. They see outsiders as a threat to the flock. The new birds could bring disease and use up the available resources of food and water. This has been ingrained in their DNA for millennia just like the need to sing the egg song.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another thing most people don't plan on is secondary quarters for quarantine of new birds, sick and injured, separating a bully, chick quarters or a broody apartment.
That plan should be in place as the first coop is built.
I must say it is a bit of a hassle tending to 7 or 8 flocks in the winter but I love having housing options scattered about.

 

[lutherpug]

I'm right there with you except my new residents are smaller and younger than my existing flock. 13 week olds with 10 month olds. It's been ugly.

One thing that helped me tremendously was not only having multiple feeders and waterers but also having them at different vertical levels. I put a waterer and feeder in the coop, which I normally don't do, and actually built a makeshift table with perches for another feeder in the run. This is in addition to the waterer and 2 feeders I have on the floor of the run. Plus we have a corner perch in the run.

Point being, there are places the new chicks can get away from the hens. We check on them as often as we can and it seems like they spend a good part of the day off the floor of the run while the hens spend the majority of their time there. If the chicks are in the coop and someone comes up to lay an egg they're immediately out on the table. If a hen jumps on the table, they move to the perch. If someone is on the perch, they run back into the coop. They spend the whole day playing keep away from the big girls but nobody has been bloodied since we changed the run/coop setup a bit.

Good luck, I know it's terrible. I'm sticking with it as I have no choice-we have no room for another coop! I do have faith they'll all get along eventually. And I do think if you can free range that it will help. I'm not currently in the position to do it right now either but I should be in a few weeks.

You may have to make some minor modifications to your setup. I wish you the best of luck, I know it is HARD!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm right there with you except my new residents are smaller and younger than my existing flock. 13 week olds with 10 month olds. It's been ugly.

One thing that helped me tremendously was not only having multiple feeders and waterers but also having them at different vertical levels. I put a waterer and feeder in the coop, which I normally don't do, and actually built a makeshift table with perches for another feeder in the run. This is in addition to the waterer and 2 feeders I have on the floor of the run. Plus we have a corner perch in the run.

Point being, there are places the new chicks can get away from the hens. We check on them as often as we can and it seems like they spend a good part of the day off the floor of the run while the hens spend the majority of their time there. If the chicks are in the coop and someone comes up to lay an egg they're immediately out on the table. If a hen jumps on the table, they move to the perch. If someone is on the perch, they run back into the coop. They spend the whole day playing keep away from the big girls but nobody has been bloodied since we changed the run/coop setup a bit.

Good luck, I know it's terrible. I'm sticking with it as I have no choice-we have no room for another coop! I do have faith they'll all get along eventually. And I do think if you can free range that it will help. I'm not currently in the position to do it right now either but I should be in a few weeks.

You may have to make some minor modifications to your setup. I wish you the best of luck, I know it is HARD!

Good effort and excellent use of space.
The age at which the different groups are when they are introduced is important as is the numbers in each group. If the new younger birds are in the majority, it tends to change the dynamics.
The older the birds and more established the flock dynamics, the harder the integration.

 

[lutherpug]

Good effort and excellent use of space.
The age at which the different groups are when they are introduced is important as is the numbers in each group. If the new younger birds are in the majority, it tends to change the dynamics.
The older the birds and more established the flock dynamics, the harder the integration.

Thank you. @aart gets all the credit for these ideas!

It did help a ton though, these were great recommendations to me that I'm happy to pass along!