Integrating not going well

[corthendo]

I know I post on this forum a lot but being brand new to chicken keeping just stresses me out and I’m always worrying I’m doing something wrong. I have 5, 8 week olds that have been out in the coop for almost 4 weeks and 3 5ish week old chicks. I’ve been doing see don’t touch for almost 2 weeks now all day long and then bringing the babies back into the brooder at night. I wanted to let the babies free range with the big girls and as soon as I let them out they immediately go after them, Idk what to do. It’s stressing me out because I don’t want to have to keep the babies in the brooder forever lol.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Maybe a little close interdiction while you have them out. Keep them off the little ones. Also, provide escape places for the little ones to duck into.

 

[corthendo]

Maybe a little close interdiction while you have them out. Keep them off the little ones. Also, provide escape places for the little ones to duck into.

My little ones are in a dog kennel next to the chicken run so they can alway run back in there. My cockerel just ran after a little one so fast and pecked her really hard before I could stop it. I interjected after that and put them back in. Im going to have to get rid of the two cockerels eventually, as I’m not allowed to have them. Im wondering if it would be better to let them out together then. It would be 3 and 3 and it would mess up the pecking order since the cockerels are at the top lol.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Best ship out the cockerels ASAP. No point in delaying the inevitable, particularly if they are upsetting the apple cart.

 

[aart]

I’ve been doing see don’t touch for almost 2 weeks now all day long and then bringing the babies back into the brooder at night.

Leave them out there 24/7.

 

[corthendo]

Leave them out there 24/7.

I would but my BCM isn’t fully feathered and I don’t have anyway to separate them inside the coop

 

[CluckyandPeepsFlock]

It is natural for there to be a bit of squabbling when integrating a flock.

Are they in the chicken run when you let them out?
If so, how large is the space?

 

[corthendo]

It is natural for there to be a bit of squabbling when integrating a flock.

Are they in the chicken run when you let them out?
If so, how large is the space?

They are all free ranging when I tried to let them out together. My bigger chicks free range for at least a few hours everyday.

 

[CluckyandPeepsFlock]

I am wondering if maybe they need to be spending more time together with a barrier to get used to each other.

Is it possible to leave your original flock in the chicken run with the new flock in the kennel next to them for a few days?

 

[corthendo]

I am wondering if maybe they need to be spending more time together with a barrier to get used to each other.

Is it possible to leave your original flock in the chicken run with the new flock in the kennel next to them for a few days?

That’s what I’ve been doing for almost 2 weeks, I put the chicks in the kennel in the morning and put them back in the brooder at bedtime. When I let the big ones free range sometimes they will poke their heads through the kennel and peck the little ones if they are close to the edge.