Integrating new flock members

[chuckachucka]

I have a bantam mini flock that consists of a Pekin cockerel, a Pekin pullet, a silkie pullet and a serama pullet, all almost a year old. I also have a large asil hen who hatched and raised some chicks born last November. The asil and her chicks has a separate coop but all the chickens share a run that is segregated with wire because the asil is a bit of a bully even when not mothering.

anyway last week the hen finally kicked out the two remaining chicks that I intend to keep after rehoming the extras. They are four months old so not babies anymore, but still smaller than my adult bantams. One is a Belgian bantam pullet and the other is a polish pullet.

the problem is that once the mother hen kicked them out, I have moved them into the coop and run with the bantam flock but the older bantams seem to hate the chicks. They chase and bully them so much that I have had to create a third coop and segregated portion of the run, which is a pain.

I know that the usual technique for integrating chickens is to keep them in a look but no touch situation but they have already lived that way with the mother for four months. Is it just because they are still smaller that the older bantams are bullying them? Should I just leave them together and let them fight it out?what should I do to help them integrate more peacefully?

 

[aart]

Well, they've finally just had physical contact, so that's the second part of the integration and it will take some time to adjust.

How you proceed may depend on your long term goals and how big a space you have for the final integration. Knowing the size and seeing some pics might help us help you...but here's some tips:

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.

 

[chuckachucka]

Thanks. I'm already doing a lot of those things I think. I have perches and logs and spaces for them to hide. I have multiple food and water sources. They have actually been able to free range together in my garden for a coupleof hours today since the chicks were born so have had physical contact before, but they were under their mother hen's protection before and she would defend them.

I think I will keep them separated for a couple of weeks and then try letting them hash it out their own way.

 

[chuckachucka]

Sorry that was meant to say 'free range for a couple of hours PER day' not today. Having technical issues with editing my post.