- Jun 11, 2013
- 15
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I purchased three chicks this past summer and one did not make it, so I purchased two more at the local county fair. Since they are a few weeks apart, I could not have them together as chicks, but had them meet each other often. When the two older chickens moved to the coop, I had the two younger ones spend at least an hour nearly every day outside so they were in close contact but could not harm each other. I built a good-sized chicken run with a small shelter attached to the coop and moved the younger chickens to the run, so they have been living next to each other 24/7 for about four weeks without actually being together. They still will peck at each other if they have the chance, because one of the older ones is blind, and the other is very protective of her. One of the younger ones likes to bite (not always out of aggression though) and the other king of follows her lead. I am worried that if the bite-y chicken pecks the blind one, and she has before, a chicken fight will break out and they will get hurt. I would like them all together before the rainy season though, so the younger chicken will be in the warm coop rather that the little raised hut I built for them. Is there anything I can do that will help the introductory process move along more quickly? Thank you in advance!
