Integrating 9 week old Pullet with 3 x 16 week old Pullets- Help Please

[charlischooks]

Hi

We are newbie chicken owners, bought 3 x 15 weeks old pullets, 1x australorp, 2 x new hampshire crosses last week and they have settled in well. A week later (yesterday) we decided to get another pullet a light sussex but she is only 9 weeks old and still chirping, let her out briefly and the two new hampshire started pecking her and trying to jump on her. So we have had to separate them by letting the little one live in the enclosed coop and the other 3 free ranging in our garden, the little one also sleeps in the nest box which is separated from the main roost by cardboard, with some windows cut into it so both can see the other but without the pecking!!

Can anyone give any advice on how to integrate her into the coop or is she too young and small (she is about half the size of the other three at the moment). The australorp is the lowest in the pecking order atm and i read somewhere that you can try putting her in with the little one and then reintroducing both to the main coop. But I really thought because there was only a months difference and we only brought them a week apart and I didnt think the others would be fully settled yet that they would be ok. We dont really have the room to set up a whole separate coop and run because they are backyard chickens.Help please! I have attached a photo of the coop but the older chickens are happy free ranging around our garden but worried that they may need access to their coop but cant atm because of the little one.

Not sure if we should return the little one back to the breeder until she is a month older and then try again? Any help/ suggestions would be much appreciated.

Charli

 

[leirob007]

Hi

We are newbie chicken owners, bought 3 x 15 weeks old pullets, 1x australorp, 2 x new hampshire crosses last week and they have settled in well. A week later (yesterday) we decided to get another pullet a light sussex but she is only 9 weeks old and still chirping, let her out briefly and the two new hampshire started pecking her and trying to jump on her. So we have had to separate them by letting the little one live in the enclosed coop and the other 3 free ranging in our garden, the little one also sleeps in the nest box which is separated from the main roost by cardboard, with some windows cut into it so both can see the other but without the pecking!!

Can anyone give any advice on how to integrate her into the coop or is she too young and small (she is about half the size of the other three at the moment). The australorp is the lowest in the pecking order atm and i read somewhere that you can try putting her in with the little one and then reintroducing both to the main coop. But I really thought because there was only a months difference and we only brought them a week apart and I didnt think the others would be fully settled yet that they would be ok. We dont really have the room to set up a whole separate coop and run because they are backyard chickens.Help please! I have attached a photo of the coop but the older chickens are happy free ranging around our garden but worried that they may need access to their coop but cant atm because of the little one.

Not sure if we should return the little one back to the breeder until she is a month older and then try again? Any help/ suggestions would be much appreciated.

Charli

I'd keep it in a brooder box for another month or so. it is a bit young to turn loose. and when you do turn it loose with the others. walk away. they will establish a " pecking order " and it will be over.

 

[leirob007]

and by brooder box. any old cardboard box with some bedding a feeder and some water is all that is required

 

[charlischooks]

I forgot to say I live in Queensland, Australia and it is getting very very hot here atm we are coming in to summer, it was 36oC on the weekend which is why I have the little one outside already. I thought she maybe too hot in a box?

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
At 9 weeks she is fully feathered and can easily handle the temperatures you have. I'd wait to integrate her till she is near the others size. If you can make a pen near the others so they can get to know each other before you put them together. There will still be the pecking order to establish once they are together, but by then she will be large enough to hold her own.
Read as much as you can about chickens, it will help you anticipate problems before they happen.