How to introduce five 8 week olds to my laying hens?

[Top Rooster]

I hope it worked

 

[lutherpug]

FWIW my laying hens did not *really* accept my pullets until the pullets were almost 5 months old. It was very ugly for 6-8 weeks. The pullets pretty much lived on a makeshift table and perch with their own food and water. Without a vertical space of their own it would have been much, much worse. I knew integration would be hard but I was shocked at how hard it really was.

 

[trueblue8364]

I have an entirely separate run and coop just for introducing little ones. The adults free range around the run where the chicks live. It's normally 3 weeks AT LEAST I let them see each other before opening the gates and I've never had a chick attacked. I've integrated at least 60+ birds this way. Now I learned a trick along the way. In the morning I throw scratch in for the chicks. All the other chickens want into that space for that scratch, but it's not their space so when the doors are finally open the big chickens go in for the scratch but the space is owned by the chicks so there is a level of respect given. If that makes any sense.

 

[Top Rooster]

I have a hen who dose the same except she doesn't pull feathers it is just for dominance trust me when those hormones kick in on the Roos she'll be the first to tell them who's boss shell fight and fight as she doesn't want to lose her place as top Chicken but eventually they'll will look really big compared to her and they'll win but after that mine got terrified of them when she saw or herd them she'd run along with a few other hens who didn't want to bow down to those roosters. How did introducing the chicks go?

 

[Woytgirl]

Well, it went bad. The Wyandottes attacked them again. The chicks were running around peeping and screaming. The 2 Easter Eggers and broody buff orpington ignored them. I can't wait for the roos to be big enough to get back at the mean hens!! In your face, you meanie wyandottes!!The 2 roos are starting to make eye contact with the hens and jumping up flapping their wings. The hens HATE that and will try to retaliate.

 

[Woytgirl]

Yeah, I get what you mean. The chicks are in a wire rabbit hutch inside the big hens run, and if I open the door, the chicks will go out, and the hens will go in and eat the chick feed. Then, when the chicks are hungry, the hens will peck them because they don't want to share the food. Even the Easter Eggers do that, but they are not as aggresive. They mainly just avoid the hicks.

 

[rainee63]

Mine are doing ok, considering I have 4 roosters I need to rehome. All the big buffs go out when I open the door. The little Aussies stay inside. The big ones are only mean when there's food involved. My world will become much more peaceful when the roos are gone. They're not exactly 'mean' to their littlest buff sister, but she does get pushed out at feeding time.

 

[Woytgirl]

Wow, 4 roosters. I hate giving away the friendly ones!! My Mom has to decide what to do about ours....... Since we have 6 hens, 2 baby hens, 2 baby roosters, and 1 mystery baby theirs not enough hens for the 2 of them.

 

[rainee63]

I've put feelers out in a few different directions about finding them homes. No luck so far. I've put alot of time and effort into these babies. (My 1st chicks) they're super friendly! Just not to each other :/
it's funny cuz the one who's the 'cockiest' is also the one who's been my biggest fan from the start. I don't wanna have them go where they might be Sunday dinner. Several ppl have suggested I keep them and use them for MY dinner. But I just can't. Not to say there's anything wrong with that. It's just not me. At this time. Lol.

 

[LeGardenChicken]

Try placing a small cage in their pen for a few days. Then sit in the pen with them and let the little chicks run about. Then put them back in the cage. Just repeat until their happy with each other.