Integrating new flock members

[KelsT]

Introducing my 5 olders girls (just started laying ~6 months) to 6 new chicks (maybe 1 and 2 months or older fully feathered) of the new chicks 4 are polish and can't see the big girls as well as possible. I tried trimming their crest feathers and it helped most of them but one girl as some crazy afro going on. No idea on the sex of the polish and I have one boy isbar but he has yet to crow and i dont see him showing off as of yet.

I have a watermelon box set up in my run that is working as a home for the new chickens, it was their brooder. I have cut door into it however the larger chickens manage to get in sometimes...as if the food in their is better. I have 2 waters and 2 feeders int he brooder box and the main feeder and water in the main run. So there is more then one source of food.

I also set twigs up around the entrance of the watermelon box and that helps.

The chickens will more or less get along for a while then i will catch my danish brown leghorn pulling feathers and eating the feather she pulled often. she has gotten a bit more aggressive towards her buddies as well. my Black sexlink will peck sometimes as well but the main bully is the leghorn. I have yet to see blood and their are no bare spots so its not a constant thing.

I put the 2 bullies in a dog crate with food and water yesterday for a few hours, the little ones had a grand time running around at that point. It did not see to adjust the behavior of the big girls as much as I had hopped. Perhaps I should do it longer.

I first had them with just a window for over a week and that went fine. they have had doors for 1.5 weeks now...

How long will this take before they get along????

I also fear I have not enough space.
My run is 8x11.5 and I have 11 chickens total
The Coop is 8x4 not counting the 3 nesting boxes.
Maybe roosts would help in the run? or do I need to expand?

most are medium or smaller breeds

Big Girls (6months)
Plymoth Rock
Danish Brown leghorn
Black Sexlink
Easter Egger
Silver Laced Wyandotte

Little ones:
Splash Isbar cockerell
Wheaten Ameraucana
2 Gold Laced Polish
Silver Laced Polish
black with white crested polish

 

[RJSorensen]

The head hen is going to assert her position… and everyone had better take note. This is just what happens, it was good to pull them for a while and you might want to continue to do so for a while longer. The change you are expecting is not going to be with the caged birds however. The benefit of this is to allow the little ones to learn the place/layout without being in fear of their life. Double feeders and waterers are a smart thing as well. I would guess that inside of a week this will solve itself, with you intervening as you feel the need to do so. The boss will still be the boss, that won't change. But given some time, everyone will work out the new pecking order. That you are doing this with a group is in your favor as well, more birds spread the aggression out.

Something you could try, is to rearrange the layout of the coop/run. Chickens get used to the same thing in the same place, they thrive on consistency. If you mix up the environment at the same time you introduce new birds, the new birds won't know the difference, and the old ones will have more to worry about. It seems to help when I have employed this ploy on them.

I know I only tackled part of the question, perhaps others will pitch in before I can get back to this thread.

Best to you and your birds,

RJ

Edit: I like the build quality I am seeing in you setup, good job accolades go out to someone… perhaps you. I don't see where you are in the world/country so I'll just take a stab at this explanation. We use creeps in our livestock, openings that allow the smaller animals into better feed than we would give the adults. It is just the spacing of slats in a fence, big enough to let the 'lambs' in but not the ewe(s). I have used this with birds of all sizes, sometimes I use a metal milk crate sometimes just a hole in a box, big enough to allow the target birds in with some ease, but small enough as to restrict the larger fowl. You could or might try turning the watermelon box around and positioning it so, will allow the new birds room up along the alley you are creating and into the door. Or just make an oval in the side of the box to give the birds a place to get away. Hanging feeders and water make for good hides as well. The young birds can duck under them and deflect a chase. I have even used three by three foot plywood panels with cleats for legs in a larger coop, as a breakup shield. Sort of like the bull fighters have, a place they can slip behind and be safe.

Out of sight, out of mind seems to me to work well with chickens. Birds are pretty to look at, but not so smart, use their instincts against them, everyone will most likely get along then.

 

[aart]

Your integration techniques are sound and, that is a nice coop/run.....
.......but it is too small for that many birds.
I'd double the coop size or halve the bird population.

 

[KelsT]

By coop size do you mean the actual coop or the run?

Your integration techniques are sound and, that is a nice coop/run.....
.......but it is too small for that many birds.
I'd double the coop size or halve the bird population.

 

[aart]

By coop size do you mean the actual coop or the run?
Quote: Both, but especially the coop.
Other factors like your location(climate) and the actual layout of coop(which we can't see) also affect population capacity.

 

[KelsT]

Both, but especially the coop.
Other factors like your location(climate) and the actual layout of coop(which we can't see) also affect population capacity.

In kitsap county WA

here are more pics of the coop.

there are 2 roosting places that are now added

 

[aart]

That's a nice coop and run!!
Is that hardware cloth?

They need 1 foot of roost length per bird.
Where do you keep feed and water?

Pretty mild there so probably never coop bound, which helps.... but still kind of a small space for that many birds, especially when integrating.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Beautiful set up you have! I enjoyed reading your post and the suggestions.

 

[KelsT]

That's a nice coop and run!!
Is that hardware cloth?

They need 1 foot of roost length per bird.
Where do you keep feed and water?

Pretty mild there so probably never coop bound, which helps.... but still kind of a small space for that many birds, especially when integrating.

Yes 1/2in hardware cloth black vinyl coated...

I will need to add more roost. I have 8 foot of it only the big girls are using 5he big coop so that isnt s probkem yet but will be soon. I can get anothe 4 foot of it or go veryical a bit and probably get enough.

I keep the food and water in the run that is covered. And is currently always open to them.

I feel like i am pushing the envelope on run size like maybe it will work out but seems like they should have more room and would be happier.

 

[aart]

You could always rig a temporary auxillary run for more room until they are getting along better.
I do this by using 6 foot high 2x4 welded wire fencing, if you form it into a circular shape it stands almost by itself, just a couple t-posts needed.