I think the EE's are scared of the big girls

[Chick_a_dee]

We set up a brooder in the big coop today, it's baking in there right now so I figured the girls wouldn't need a heatlamp, plus they've been off it for about 2 weeks now in a room with the windows open all the time. They're pretty well fully feathered.

I put them in and they were fine at first then they started getting all weird and scared and I thought they were cold until I thought ..what if they're scared of the big girls? THey started to go all weird and scared at the time the big girls started piling in for bed so... Is it possible our big hens are scaring the heck out of the babies? THey can see each other and the hens seemed to be complaining that the chicks were making a lot of noise.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Anyone? ... Are they just scared?

 

[Judy]

Give them some time and keep them separated for a while. They are getting used to each other.

Read here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I should say, the little ones are 6 weeks and pretty feathered. I didn't think they were cold, they can't be, its 30 C out during the day and the coop is insulated plus the 15 hens makes it even warmer. I was thinking the hens were scaring them to bits, they're separated but they CAN see each other.

 

[Brindlebtch]

They might be afraid the hens will peck them. Frequently a chicken flock doesn't welcome new members and maybe the chicks know that. Keep them separate for a good while where they can see each other.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

The chicks seem to have established or are establishing their own pecking order, I reckoned they would be scared of the big hens and they seemed to start reacting and pretending to be cold when all the hens came in to roost. THey'll be separated until 12-14 weeks of age which is when i'll start integrating them.