Integrating new chicks with old hens

[Awonderer]

My 10 chicks are now 5 weeks old and are ready to move outside. We currently have two, older "rescue" hens, maybe 4 yrs old, in the coop. I have been told the olde ones might attack the new ones. Is that true? What's the best way to get them all to be one big happy flock?

My coop is 6'x11' so plenty of room. The fenced run is made up of two areas, each 12'x10', with a fence between them.

Also, how many nesting boxes do you need for 11 hens?

Thanks for any advice!

Sam

 

[marchick]

I would put them out in one fenced area for a while so the other two big hens could see them through the fence but not get to them.Then after a while add them together and just watch.Be ready to step in if needed.The hens will probably go over but it should be more show then anything. One nest box for every 4 hens.

 

[Awonderer]

Thank you!

 

[debid]

Most likely, the hens charge, the little ones run, repeat until dominance is well established. It may take hours, it may take days. Variable personalities mean variable response. Expect pecking at the feeders and roosts. Multiple feeders and adding a lower roost for the young ones is advisable. I've also found breaking up the line of sight so they have somewhere to escape attention helps. What you need to be watching for is pulling feathers, blood being drawn, cornered chicks being ganged up on... that sort of thing. It won't be a warm welcome and it can be hard to watch your precious chicks get bullied but most of the time, they will all survive it.

I have four nest boxes for ten hens and they usually use two, sometimes three.

 

[jennygibs]

I tried moving our 6 week olds in with one year olds last night and it did not go well!! Right now I've got them separated with the babies in the coop and the older hens in the run. I wish I had a separate area for them like you have. They have outgrown the brooder and I've got to do something. Thinking I might partition off part of the run (mine's not really big enough for much else) and put the babies in there during the day. My six one year olds are usually pretty calm and don't fight amongst themselves too much, but I put those babies in there and even my favorite hen was attacking them!! I've been on here reading all morning and have seen some suggest it could take 2-3 months for them to get used to each other! I sure hope not!!

 

[1cityslicker]

I agree it can take months for them to integrate and it is painful seeing the pullets being bullied but that's the chicken life. I've always took some poultry wire and tposts and segregated the new chicks in the run so the hens could see and interact with them behind borders.
as for the nest box question, I have two for eleven hens bit I'm realizing that at laying time they line up and wait for a turn so the need to build more is evident. With three more in the brooder now's the time.

 

[jennygibs]

Sorry, I meant to put in my two cents on the nesting boxes too. We have 5 boxes and originally had 8 hens. They almost always ALL lay in one box so honestly I think 2 per 4 hens would definitely be plenty. I've always wanted to go out there and see if they just wait on each other to get done or what!

 

[debid]

Sorry, I meant to put in my two cents on the nesting boxes too.  We have 5 boxes and originally had 8 hens.  They almost always ALL lay in one box so honestly I think 2 per 4 hens would definitely be plenty.  I've always wanted to go out there and see if they just wait on each other to get done or what!

Or you have a hen moving eggs. I have one that likes to build big clutches and she'll move eggs to her preferred box and then lay hers with them. I know because the dummy eggs I put in the boxes kept moving so I watched and caught her in action. She didn't want to brood them herself but she wanted her egg to be included if some other hen wanted to sit.

 

[debid]

In regards to it taking months, I think it's quite normal for things to not be cohesive for an extended period. It's also normal for laying to be interrupted by the stress. I was referring to the really rough phase being hours or days long. I've noticed that point of lay makes a difference, too. The immature pullets suddenly start sticking up for themselves and moving up in the order so there will be another period of disruption when they mature.

 

[jennygibs]

In regards to it taking months, I think it's quite normal for things to not be cohesive for an extended period. It's also normal for laying to be interrupted by the stress. I was referring to the really rough phase being hours or days long. I've noticed that point of lay makes a difference, too. The immature pullets suddenly start sticking up for themselves and moving up in the order so there will be another period of disruption when they mature.

UGH! I'm beginning to regret the decision to add new chicks to the flock, everything was so much more peaceful before! Time to get to work...