How to stop hens from picking on chicks?

[Chibbens104]

I have two full grown hens (a domonique and easter egger) and we recently got 10 new baby chicks. At first i thought my hens were gonna pick on them and then get used to them and it was going to be fine. It wasnt. Every time they get near them they hold them down and rip feathers out of there back. How can i stop this? I dont want them to kill my baby chicks. The chicks are about 5 or 6 weeks old now btw.

 

[sourland]

They should be maintained in a separate area until they are larger.

 

[momto5ladies]

I agree. You need to separate them until they are closer in size. And then I would start with a barrier between them for a few days.

 

[Mrs. K]

What does your run/ coop look like. Is it just a wide open rectangle? Is there any hideouts? Can a chicken from any position in the run see all the other chickens in the run. If so, what you need is clutter. Clutter allows birds to get away from each other. With chickens, out of sight is out of mind.

Try putting in some safety zones, such as a pallet up on cement blocks so that only the chicks can fit comfortably under neath. The bigger birds don't really fit. Make mini walls with a small piece of plywood, and put a feed dish behind it, so that a bird eating at another feed dish, cannot see who is eating at the other. Adding a ladder, or a roost outside in the run can be very helpful.

The more stuff you put in the run, will allow the littles to escape with little damage. Do make sure that there are always two exits from every hideout, so as a bird does not get trapped.

MK

 

[Chibbens104]

What does your run/ coop look like. Is it just a wide open rectangle? Is there any hideouts? Can a chicken from any position in the run see all the other chickens in the run. If so, what you need is clutter. Clutter allows birds to get away from each other. With chickens, out of sight is out of mind.

Try putting in some safety zones, such as a pallet up on cement blocks so that only the chicks can fit comfortably under neath. The bigger birds don't really fit. Make mini walls with a small piece of plywood, and put a feed dish behind it, so that a bird eating at another feed dish, cannot see who is eating at the other. Adding a ladder, or a roost outside in the run can be very helpful.

The more stuff you put in the run, will allow the littles to escape with little damage. Do make sure that there are always two exits from every hideout, so as a bird does not get trapped.

MK

Basically. we have a coop inside of a cage. The big hens get let out of the cage and roam around the yard. And once there out, the chicks get let out of the coop and roam around the cage, theres no getting in or out. What the hens usually do is run around the cage staring at them trying to find a way in. Also when its night time the chicks stay inside of the coop and the girls sleep on top of the coop (so they dont pick on each other at night.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

How long have the hens been able to see/meet the chicks?

 

[Ponte]

Read aart’s article on Intergrading chicks, after reading it I intergraded my three week old chicks without problems.

 

[Chibbens104]

How long have the hens been able to see/meet the chicks?

We let out the chicks with the hens for about 5 hours for 3 days and then i stopped because i dont want my hens to kill the chicks. But they are pretty familiar with them. If the baby chicks get close to them or have something they want, the hens will go after them

 

[rosemarythyme]

We let out the chicks with the hens for about 5 hours for 3 days and then i stopped because i dont want my hens to kill the chicks.

They need more exposure, I'd say a solid week to start. Also Mrs. K had a great post about clutter, which she referenced above, but here's photos to give you a better idea: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

And here's aart's early integration article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/ - mine is linked as well, just under the 2nd paragraph on there.

 

[aart]

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here @Chibbens104

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/