Integrating Chicks

Kwimmer78

In the Brooder
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I have a flock of three fully grown hens and just a few weeks ago I started raising 2 baby chicks. The chicks have gotten big enough to live in the coop, but apparently not with the other hens. Of the 3 grown hens the one at the bottom of the pecking order, when in near the new chicks, constantly scares and pecks them. Does anyone have any recommendations for how to stop this from happening? Should I just wait for them to get every bigger?
 
I would definitely set up a see but don’t touch method for at least a week or so. Then let them out with the others, supervised. Make sure there are plenty of hide outs and areas where the chicks can hide but not get cornered.
Good luck!!!!
 
I have a flock of three fully grown hens and just a few weeks ago I started raising 2 baby chicks. The chicks have gotten big enough to live in the coop, but apparently not with the other hens. Of the 3 grown hens the one at the bottom of the pecking order, when in near the new chicks, constantly scares and pecks them. Does anyone have any recommendations for how to stop this from happening? Should I just wait for them to get every bigger?

How old are the chicks? How large is the coop and the run? How much time did the hens have with the chicks (see but don't touch) before you put them together?

This is my brooder and how I handled integration, maybe you'll get some ideas on what you can add or change to help your chicks make the transition: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-thyme-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/
 
I too brood in the coop and integrate young(4wks).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

But I still follow these...
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.
 
How old are the chicks? How large is the coop and the run? How much time did the hens have with the chicks (see but don't touch) before you put them together?

This is my brooder and how I handled integration, maybe you'll get some ideas on what you can add or change to help your chicks make the transition: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-thyme-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

The chicks are about 6 1/2 weeks. The hens had been able to walk around in the grass with them ever since they were a week old, but this is the first time they have shared a living space. My coop is really big. It could probably hold about 10 chickens and has a lot of bars for the chicks to jump around too. I put the chicks on the highest bar and they seem to be safe there. They started to jump up there by themselves. They are still getting attacked and scared as soon as they jump down.
 

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