Integration FAIL. Arrrggghhhh

[awagnon]

Well after about a month of look don't touch, we attempted integrating our 3 15 wk olds with our 1 year old hens. Did NOT go well. As long as I am sitting out there, the big girls are on their best behavior, little squabbles like charging but no pecking occurring. Once the youngsters turn away and retreat, the big girls stopped. Actually it's only my 2 red sex links doing the terrorizing. My Buff Orp, just walked up to each one seemed to introduce herself and walked off. lol

After sitting out with them for there about an hour, I came inside. 30 minutes later, I looked out and saw some commotion going on and immediately went back out. The 2 red sex-links were ganging up on one of the Sapphire Gem youngsters. I scooped up the little one (although really, she's as tall as the others, just not as wide), checked her out and noticed 3 head wounds. Brought her inside, cleaned and doctored her wounds and took her back out to her sisters. I have put the barrier back up for now. I went out a bit later to check on the victim and she's STILL fussing about it. She's probably scarred for life.

This was surprising to me, as when I first took down the separating fence, I was giving them wormies and they were all gobbling them up together without any issues. I would have thought if any bullying were going to happen, it would have happened then.

For now we are back to the look, don't touch stage with the youngsters safely fenced off from the hoodlums. Ugh So tired of keeping 2 coops, but it is what it is. At least they are close together. Gave the bullies a talkin to, one just growled at me after I put her down while she was walking away. Somehow I don't think I got my point across. LOL Maybe I need to explain Freezer Camp to those 2.

 

[DobieLover]

Please post pictures of your setup.

 

[awagnon]

Please post pictures of your setup.

I will try to get some pics up later this weekend. We converted a metal framed carport into a chicken run and there is a large PVC framed 'playpen' with a shade cloth on top my hubby made them that we push up to the run door for grass and bug hunting when the mood strikes them. We nailed a pallet to some legs on one side to prop it up for a run thru sigh break, they have a 4x4 post up on cinderblocks to perch on, a ramp to the old coop to fly up onto, I turned over a chair as another hiding place that they can't be cornered in. We may construct a higher perch for them as the youngsters can fly higher than the older girls right now. What's even stranger is that these two terrorists went inside the new coop where the newbies were staying, while the three newbies were in there, and they didn't even act aggressive toward them or really even acknowledge they were there in close quarters. Chickens, ya never know what they are gonna do. sigh It may be the RIR in the two terrorists that is coming out, if that is part of their mix. I have no idea. They were TSC labeled as sex-links so who knows what they came from. The are def NOT full RIRs if any. I am just speculating.

 

[Mrs. K]

Generally what happens is you have one or two that are just heartless, and the rest of the gang will follow along, so try this.

Put your two mean biddies, where you had the chicks. And put the chicks with the other older birds, wait a week. Then let ONE of the old biddies out, see what happens. If she does not work, then put her back, and try the other one.

You can add pin-less peepers to the means ones too... or the freezer camp.

 

[awagnon]

well there's only the one other hen that really had no issues with the newbies, so it would be adding the 3 newbies with 1 original hen if the terrorists are sequestered. I think if the one wasn't so intent on murder, the second one would not have been so extreme given her usual personality. Who knows.

 

[Sally PB]

Generally what happens is you have one or two that are just heartless, and the rest of the gang will follow along, so try this.

Put your two mean biddies, where you had the chicks. And put the chicks with the other older birds, wait a week. Then let ONE of the old biddies out, see what happens. If she does not work, then put her back, and try the other one.

You can add pin-less peepers to the means ones too... or the freezer camp.

In my last integration, I found I had one "Mean Girl." After the fence came down, she pursued the littles all the time. I finally put her in a large dog crate, inside the run. She stayed there for 3 days. I let her out at roosting time on the 3rd day. She was better after that.

I'm doing an integration right now, and think I'll have the dog crate ready to go when I take down the fence, just in case.

 

[awagnon]

Yeah, the chicken jail, (dog crate) is looking like an option. Maybe even this too. LOL

 

[Leatherworker]

Well after about a month of look don't touch, we attempted integrating our 3 15 wk olds with our 1 year old hens. Did NOT go well. As long as I am sitting out there, the big girls are on their best behavior, little squabbles like charging but no pecking occurring. Once the youngsters turn away and retreat, the big girls stopped. Actually it's only my 2 red sex links doing the terrorizing. My Buff Orp, just walked up to each one seemed to introduce herself and walked off. lol

After sitting out with them for there about an hour, I came inside. 30 minutes later, I looked out and saw some commotion going on and immediately went back out. The 2 red sex-links were ganging up on one of the Sapphire Gem youngsters. I scooped up the little one (although really, she's as tall as the others, just not as wide), checked her out and noticed 3 head wounds. Brought her inside, cleaned and doctored her wounds and took her back out to her sisters. I have put the barrier back up for now. I went out a bit later to check on the victim and she's STILL fussing about it. She's probably scarred for life.

This was surprising to me, as when I first took down the separating fence, I was giving them wormies and they were all gobbling them up together without any issues. I would have thought if any bullying were going to happen, it would have happened then.

For now we are back to the look, don't touch stage with the youngsters safely fenced off from the hoodlums. Ugh So tired of keeping 2 coops, but it is what it is. At least they are close together. Gave the bullies a talkin to, one just growled at me after I put her down while she was walking away. Somehow I don't think I got my point across. LOL Maybe I need to explain Freezer Camp to those 2.

One thing I saw someone else do was to make sure they ate together with the dividing fence. I made a mush of their regular food with some other goodies in it and put it so they had to eat from both sides the wire. I did this for 2 weeks with the newbie. I was integrating a cockerel with about the same age pullets. They sure didn't like him at first. It worked out. He got chased a bit and rushed at, but no injuries. He's still learning how to be a good Roo, as he's young, but I think it will be ok. Most of the girls have accepted him, but will only take so much if they are pushed. He does have a few girls that are willing, not all yet. But they all graze and roost together with no problems. Hens with hens may take longer. I think the one suggestion about putting the attacking girls in the pen of the new ones is a great idea.