How long to keep pullets and hens separate

[bixiechicks]

I have been reading quite a few threads on integrating new pullets with existing hens...perhaps since I am new to all of this I am just not being patient enough, but it feels like I have been trying to integrate these gals for a really long time now trying to follow all the advice I have been reading.

I have four, year old hens: two black stars and two ameracaunas. I got two more chicks in the spring: one rhode island red and one barred rock. They are now about sixteen weeks old.

The older hens like to separate them, corner one and gang up with some aggressive pecking. I let it go until I feel like they are not going to stop, and then intervene. This has therefore caused me to have two, really skittish pullets that are pretty much scared of their own shadow. I have tried to integrate gradually, but have two separate runs that I can close off when the pullets have had enough. They sleep in the same hen house and seem to do ok at night.

Will this get better? The pullets will probably start laying in the next month...will that help the process? What is the usual length of time for this process?
help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How big is your set up? Less space makes for more problems integrating. Generally the young ones run away from the bigger ones and keep their distance. If they can't get away they will get pecked.

You can set up some places for smaller birds to go under, or behind which can help, but if your chicken area is smaller the aggression may continue, otherwise it should ease up as the young ones mature more.

 

[bixiechicks]

How big is your set up? Less space makes for more problems integrating. Generally the young ones run away from the bigger ones and keep their distance. If they can't get away they will get pecked.

You can set up some places for smaller birds to go under, or behind which can help, but if your chicken area is smaller the aggression may continue, otherwise it should ease up as the young ones mature more.

Thank you! Yes, plenty big enough...lots of hiding places.
When you say "mature more" how old does that mean?

 

[Pork Pie]

Once the pullets begin to lay, things should settle down a little. IF you were to free range your birds, you would notice that the pullets would form a separate group to the older birds - it will likely take some considerable time before they truly integrate as one flock. Multiple feeding stations and barriers blocking the line of sight between the two can help reduce friction, as well as space - mentioned by oldhens.

 

[Suprise-Chicks]

Hi,
I think it will get better. I had my newbie side by side with the adults for 7 weeks. They didn't even sleep in the same nesting box. I started letting them free range together and watched them sort the pecking order out. If you have one bully at the top, take her away for 2 to 3 weeks and she will lose her stop in the order, they may help.
Have fun.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thank you! Yes, plenty big enough...lots of hiding places.


When you say "mature more" how old does that mean?

"Plenty big enough" doesn't tell me much on size or layout of the coop/run. From the way they are acting I'm not sure it is. Feet or meters helps a lot of size. A photo or two could help.


Don’t expect immature pullets and mature hens to share fairly close spaces peacefully. Until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order my immature chickens tend to form a separate sub-flock. Normally they can force their way into the pecking order about the time they start to lay, maybe a few days before or maybe a couple of weeks after, but generally around that time. I see “same size” and “16 weeks” on here all the time and I don’t believe it. Size isn’t important. It’s not unusual for a bantam to dominate a full-sized chicken, it happens all the time. It’s the spirit of the chicken that counts, not size. I’ve yet to see an immature 16 week old pullet stand up to a mature hen, they always run away if there is conflict. In my experience maturity is what counts, not size or age, though a young chick always loses.


I’m integrating younger chickens all the time. They are raised with the flock though, not introduced much later like yours. That makes a difference. That’s why we normally recommend housing them side by side for a week or longer, so they can get used to the other. Some hens will attack strangers because they are strangers.


While mine do intermingle a fair amount without issue, even as very young chicks, they tend to spend a lot of the time apart. If an immature chicken invades the private space of an adult they are likely to get pecked. As long as they keep their distance they are generally safe. Some hens are bullies and brutes, going out of their way to attack weaker chickens. Hopefully you don’t have one of those, but most leave other chickens alone as long as they don’t invade their personal space.


One way chickens have learned to live together in a flock is that when there is conflict the weaker runs away from the stronger or just avoids them as much as they can. As long as the weaker can run away and get away it normally ends peacefully. The weaker quickly learn to not invade their personal space. If a chicken cannot run away, either for lack of space or they get trapped in a corner or against a fence, the stronger sees that as a challenge and will keep attacking. Usually they go for the head since that is where they can do the most damage. The weaker normally tries to protect the head. It’s a dangerous time if they are trapped.


I don’t know how big your facilities are or how they are interconnected. My suggestion is to not force them to share space, give them the options to stay as far apart as they wish while allowing them to mingle if they wish. If your two runs are interconnected let them have access to both. I don’t know if you kept them housed side by side without them having access to each other or just let them mingle. You might try keeping them side by side without access to each other for a while longer. Multiple feeding/watering stations are a great idea. If you happen to have one of those brute hens that just love attacking anything weaker it can be rough. I once had a cockerel that just took an intense dislike to another specific cockerel, individual personalities come into play too. Normally patience is your best friend. Give them time and give them room.


Good luck!

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed, in order to receive relevant advice, you need to give specific information: What are the exact dimensions of your coop: L x W x H. How much perch space do you have, how high are the perches? How many nest boxes? What are the exact dimensions of your run? L x W. Is it covered? If so, how high is it? What do you have for visual barriers for the new girls in the coop and in the run? Multi height areas in the run? Have you provided extra feed and water stations? What have you done until this point to ease integration?

The current behavior you are seeing is IMO not integration behavior. It's "I want to kill you." behavior. This does not usually happen in a space that is well set up for integration.

 

[bixiechicks]

Once the pullets begin to lay, things should settle down a little. IF you were to free range your birds, you would notice that the pullets would form a separate group to the older birds - it will likely take some considerable time before they truly integrate as one flock. Multiple feeding stations and barriers blocking the line of sight between the two can help reduce friction, as well as space - mentioned by oldhens.

makes sense....thank you so much.

 

[Mrs. K]

If you have them separated through a wire fence, feed them at the fence line. Gets them a bit more used to each other, safely. Hide outs help mine. This last time, I used one way gates, and had the chicks out in the set up at 3 weeks. However, I add and subtract once or twice a year, and have a large set up. All of those things influence this, that is why one set of directions may not work in another set up.

 

[bixiechicks]

"Plenty big enough" doesn't tell me much on size or layout of the coop/run. From the way they are acting I'm not sure it is. Feet or meters helps a lot of size. A photo or two could help.


Don’t expect immature pullets and mature hens to share fairly close spaces peacefully. Until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order my immature chickens tend to form a separate sub-flock. Normally they can force their way into the pecking order about the time they start to lay, maybe a few days before or maybe a couple of weeks after, but generally around that time. I see “same size” and “16 weeks” on here all the time and I don’t believe it. Size isn’t important. It’s not unusual for a bantam to dominate a full-sized chicken, it happens all the time. It’s the spirit of the chicken that counts, not size. I’ve yet to see an immature 16 week old pullet stand up to a mature hen, they always run away if there is conflict. In my experience maturity is what counts, not size or age, though a young chick always loses.


I’m integrating younger chickens all the time. They are raised with the flock though, not introduced much later like yours. That makes a difference. That’s why we normally recommend housing them side by side for a week or longer, so they can get used to the other. Some hens will attack strangers because they are strangers.


While mine do intermingle a fair amount without issue, even as very young chicks, they tend to spend a lot of the time apart. If an immature chicken invades the private space of an adult they are likely to get pecked. As long as they keep their distance they are generally safe. Some hens are bullies and brutes, going out of their way to attack weaker chickens. Hopefully you don’t have one of those, but most leave other chickens alone as long as they don’t invade their personal space.


One way chickens have learned to live together in a flock is that when there is conflict the weaker runs away from the stronger or just avoids them as much as they can. As long as the weaker can run away and get away it normally ends peacefully. The weaker quickly learn to not invade their personal space. If a chicken cannot run away, either for lack of space or they get trapped in a corner or against a fence, the stronger sees that as a challenge and will keep attacking. Usually they go for the head since that is where they can do the most damage. The weaker normally tries to protect the head. It’s a dangerous time if they are trapped.


I don’t know how big your facilities are or how they are interconnected. My suggestion is to not force them to share space, give them the options to stay as far apart as they wish while allowing them to mingle if they wish. If your two runs are interconnected let them have access to both. I don’t know if you kept them housed side by side without them having access to each other or just let them mingle. You might try keeping them side by side without access to each other for a while longer. Multiple feeding/watering stations are a great idea. If you happen to have one of those brute hens that just love attacking anything weaker it can be rough. I once had a cockerel that just took an intense dislike to another specific cockerel, individual personalities come into play too. Normally patience is your best friend. Give them time and give them room.


Good luck!

wow.. thank you so much for the time and care to write your response. Our set up right now is the same hen house, but two different runs that are separated by chicken fencing so they can see each other. Two feeding stations (one in each run). We let all the chickens free range together at times, and other times, while we watch, open the "portal" between the runs and let them intermingle. The combined run is roughly 100 feet long by 15 feet deep. the hen house is in the middle. They have been roosting in the hen house at night together without incident. Yes, the pullets just keep their distance and stick together. And you're right, incidents occur when the hens somehow isolate a chick in a corner of the run. Lately, however, the pullets have used their wings and flown up top of the hen house to escape. I take this as a good thing and have delayed any wing clipping. I usually give them intermingle time and then separate them back again in to the separate runs.
I appreciate your comment about patience....I am new at this and just don't know if there is more I can be doing.