I have 5 1 year olds and 5 1month olds The older ones just ingore the month old is this ok or should I be worried once I put them together?
Hi and Welcome to BYC! You may want to wait until the younger ones are closer to the size of the older ones, before you introduce them/combine them. By letting the smaller ones gain size, you'll even out the chances of them not getting picked on too bad by the older ones. They will still do the pecking order, to define who is the Alpha bird but if the younger ones are closer in size to the older ones, they'll stand a better chance in "standing their ground", so to speak. Hope this is some help! Dawn
They are buff orpington chickens and when I put the month old out in a cage in my backyard the older ones just plain ingore them. I was just wondering if this is normal?
I think I may have misunderstood. Are they actually out together? If the older birds ignore the younger birds when they're together it is a good thing. Some will chase the younger ones and try to kill them. Mined ignored the younger ones until I put them in the yard together. They were in adjacent coops and runs. I had two aggressive hens that would jump on the younger birds and peck them and pull feathers out. There are pictures on my BYC Page.
Hey I just did that, yesterday was day one for my 2 month ole BC Marans, to go into the pen with my 2 eleven month ole pullets and cockerel. The pullets went after to peck and push around the little guys, only to have my cockerel ( Gorilla Monsoon ) to rescue the little guys and he pecked on the 2 older pullets. I was amazed. My boy clearly did not allow any bullying on the little chicks. I now have a new respect for the intelligence of my boy. I was totally cool and today all was well. Good luck with yours
what if I do not have a boy and they are all girls. They have been out in different cage my older girls have free range on my land and I have been putting the little girls in the fence pen. And still the older girls do not have a care that they are out there.
