Hi everyone! I'm sort of new to this, but I figured I might as well utilize the forums! We have 3 week old Barred Rock Chicks, all pullets (so the guy at the hardware store says, I'm not so sure ) and since it's been SO warm out we've had them in a big dog crate inside of the big chickens pen. So they've had some limited, between the bars on the cage, interaction with our big chickens (3 RIR Hens, 2 RIR Roos, 1 RIR undetermained, 4 Banny hens and 2 banny roos, all of which are 4 1/2 months old) When we introduced the chicks to the big chickens without bars for the first time the other day, we had some expected nips and pecks, but after about ten minutes all the RIRs were no longer interested in the chicks, it took a little bit longer with the bantams, but eventually most of them lost intrest too. I say "most" because this is were our problems are... We have two bantam hens that love nothing more than to chase and peck my poor little chicks! I'm really at my wits end, We've given the chickens supervised mingling time now, several times a day for about a week and those two dumb hens still chase and peck the poor things. My mom says they're pecking the little ones so hard because the two hens were "pets" up until we got the chicks, but I'm hard pressed to believe chickens can get jealous. Does anyone have any ideas what to do to get some more friendly relations between these chickens? Are my chicks too young to be mingling with the big chickens? Why can't the bantams just be nice? Haha, any advice is MUCH appreciated!
Your small chicks are definitely too young to be with the big chickens. You need to let them grow out a bit before mixing the flocks together.
It will help if the chicks are a little closer to the same size as the other chickens. Right now they are seen as lowest on the totem pole and your hens are making sure they stay that way.
