Integrating our chicks

[Hodges2018]

Hello All,

We are new to raising chickens. We have 1 welsumer hen and 1 welsumer rooster. Both will be 21 weeks on October 1st. We recently got 3 new babies. 1 crested cream legabr, 1 barred rock, and 1 buff Orpington. We’ve been putting our babies in the chicken tractor and letting our big babies free range during the afternoons, but our rooster is still very aggressive towards the little babies. Any suggestions on how to integrate them without so much aggression from the rooster? Our baby girls are now 10 weeks old and are ready to be out of the brooder and in the yard full time. Just looking for some advice/help.

 

[guardianoftheflock]

Welcome to BYC! It's great to have ya! Everybody on here is super helpful! I hope that you like it here. Sorry that I can't answer your question. I have a hard time getting my older hens to take to chicks! I can't imagine a roo! I check to see what others say cause I'm just as curious as you! Have a great day!

 

[HenHouse4Life]

Do you have an area in your coop where they see but not touch each other? How is he being aggressive, what is he doing?

 

[amenfarm]

So, I wait until my chicks are ready to be on the same feed to integrate them. In the meantime, I have them In an area were the rest of the flock can see each other though fencing. By the 18 week mark..I feed everybody as normal and left the gate open...I continue to feed and water separately for several weeks, tgen only feed from the big coop and everybody usually moves into the big coop. I did have 3 hold outs at night...after 2 weeks I shut the gate in the evening permanently and carried them to the roost. By evening two they were fine . Ive tried other ways, but it involves changing everyone to all flock feed..and this has been much easier, far less hen pecking too.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC @Hodges2018 , thanks for adding your location!

What kind of coop and run do you have?
Dimensions and pics would help.
How long have you had the younger birds?
Do they sleep in the brooder at night, away from the older birds?
Any chance you can put the brooder right into the coop with the older birds?
Might try locking up the cockerel and letting the younger birds range with the older pullet.

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

Here's some tips on....
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.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Callender Girl]

Good luck with integration. It looks like you are getting some great advice.

In my case, Sir Henry -- my Iowa Blue rooster -- will, no matter what I've tried, continue to try to vigorously breed any and all pullets and hens. With very few exceptions, the girls view this as unwanted aggression. I don't trust him with anyone except the two Blue hens in his coop.

On the plus side, he tidbits, that is, calls loudly and offers food, to all the hens. But I have to keep an eye on him whenever the non-Blue hens are loose. As soon as he goes into his "check me out dance," everyone scatters and hides.

 

[Hodges2018]

Welcome to BYC @Hodges2018 , thanks for adding your location!

What kind of coop and run do you have?
Dimensions and pics would help.
How long have you had the younger birds?
Do they sleep in the brooder at night, away from the older birds?
Any chance you can put the brooder right into the coop with the older birds?
Might try locking up the cockerel and letting the younger birds range with the older pullet.

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

Here's some tips on....
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.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

Thanks for the info!

 

[Hodges2018]

Do you have an area in your coop where they see but not touch each other? How is he being aggressive, what is he doing?

I don’t actually. The coop we have for is too small for all of them so I had to buy a second one and they are separate. When I let all of them out together, he chases after them and pecks at them and try’s to mount them.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

Roosters are anyone's guess as to how they will behave. Some are rather aggressive toward the females, some are not. At the young age of your cockerel he's still trying to figure everything out. I like to give roosters a good year's time if not more to see how they will blend into the flock as far as personality.
I believe you have time on your side.... and patience. I know it's frustrating.
I think his age is the biggest obstacle for him. Keep trying and be ready to intervene if necessary.
Just remember that with some males the attempts to mount aren't always a pretty thing, and can be a perfectly normal behavior.
Cockerels aren't known for their dinner and a movie first behavior.
Keep us informed and I wish you the very best of luck!

 

[Hodges2018]

Thank you! I appreciate your advice!