Integration Issue

[Creteloc]

I've integrated 5 different flocks in my lifetime and this last one is the worst yet! I'm not even sure what to do. I've hit youtube and read everything on here, but my issue remains.

4 - 2 year old Bovans
3 - 18 week old Easter Eggers

The Easter Eggers live in a run beside the run the Bovans are in. They have been there for 5 weeks. We use neutral territory and section off a piece of lawn for them to integrate. We put the EEs in first and let them acclimate before adding 1 bovan.... waiting... add another. Repeat.

Nada. The 3 EEs run to the corner and dig their heads together into the corner, exposing their tail feathers, which the Bovans immediately begin to pull out. The EEs won't even try to fight back. There's not really 1 mean Bovan that instigates the attacks, it's all four of them.

5 weeks, they have been side-by-side! The EEs are almost full grown, though one of them is going to be petite and she's picked on the most by the Bovans.

I should say there's not been blood yet. We stop that first, but if the EEs won't do anything but hide their heads, the Bovans have no reason to stop picking out tail feathers.

HELP

 

[Bantumhatching]

Do you have a kind of portable fence you could use? In our coop we separate the chickens, putting them in longer and longer every day. We also will put 1 or 2 of the older chickens in with the younger chickens so they can get used to each other over time. Does this help?

 

[Creteloc]

I tried to come up with a way to divide our run into two separate areas but that leaves no access to the doors. I thought side-by-side was our best option.

So I do know our lightest colored Bovan isn't very mean to the younger ones. How long should I put her in with the EEs before trying integration again?

 

[Bantumhatching]

I would do a little bit more every day, and see how they react. For example, you could originally start with ten minutes and slowly progress more and more up to an hour or so . Once they are getting along well, you could start to introduce another Bovab along with the first one

 

[Bantumhatching]

I would do a little bit more every day, and see how they react. For example, you could originally start with ten minutes and slowly progress more and more up to an hour or so . Once they are getting along well, you could start to introduce another Bovab along with the first one

Bovan*

 

[aart]

How big is your run, in feet by feet?
Any hiding places?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

Might try adding the docile adult first.
Or switch where the groups are...then switch one or two back and forth.
Remove any aggressors to a crate for time outs.
Chicken Juggling!

 

[Creteloc]

The run is 6x10 with no hiding spots. The smaller run that's beside the big run is 3ft x 6ft with no real hiding spots. They are close enough the two runs touch.

I added the most docile hen yesterday and the 3 pullets crammed their heads into the corner and wouldn't move, even though she basically ignored them. When I forced them out of the corner, she pecked one and went back to dust bathing while they went to another corner.

I just realized how boring those runs sound. We just barely moved so right now the runs are boring but we do add stuff later like tall roosts, stairs, hanging veggie holders, etc.

 

[AOrchard]

Try some hiding spaces in the corner. A board propped up on a paver is great, cardboard boxes, whatever you have lying around. Sounds like your problem isn't aggressive adults as much as the chicks need to gain some confidence, so changing how you integrate the hens probably isn't going to help. Giving the chicks a way to keep the tail feathers while they learn to relax should help.

You might also find luck by using mealworms or another uncommon treat that the chick recognize as delectable. When the chicks go to the corner, squat down nearby. Offer the docile hen mealworms on the opposite side of you. Then toss some mealworms out to the chicks (keeping the hen occupied several feet away). If they get excited about food they might forget that they're terrified of the hen and move around some, then start to realize it's okay. It motivates them to come out of hiding and slowly get nearer to the hen, and build some confidence.

 

[3KillerBs]

The run is 6x10 with no hiding spots. The smaller run that's beside the big run is 3ft x 6ft with no real hiding spots. They are close enough the two runs touch.

You need to create hiding places.

In addition to making integration easier, it will make all the chickens feel more comfortable. An open rectangle is an unnatural environment for a creature of the forest floor.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The run is 6x10 with no hiding spots. The smaller run that's beside the big run is 3ft x 6ft with no real hiding spots. They are close enough the two runs touch.

I added the most docile hen yesterday and the 3 pullets crammed their heads into the corner and wouldn't move, even though she basically ignored them. When I forced them out of the corner, she pecked one and went back to dust bathing while they went to another corner.

Adding clutter will improve the quality of what room you have but it's still pretty small for integration. I think that's your main problem, lack of room. But something else I suggest is patience.

With my flock, my juveniles avoid the adult hens until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order. Until then they tend to avoid the adults. A mature hen automatically outranks an immature pullet and often will peck a pullet if it invades her personal space. It usually doesn't take long for them to learn to avoid the adults. There are exceptions to this. As you have seen, some mature hens are less tolerant of immature juveniles than others. Occasionally I see a lot more mixing than other times, but I have over 3,000 square feet available outside. If things get rough they can easily run away.

Your three juveniles sticking heir heads in a corner is an effort to avoid that hen and to protect their heads if she does attack them. An aggressive chicken usually wants to peck the head, that way they can more easily kill the other. You noticed there wasn't any violence until you forced them out of their corner with that hen. Maybe try to not be so quick to force then together.

We use neutral territory and section off a piece of lawn for them to integrate.

Is this the 3x6 area you are talking about? That's not very big for three almost grown pullets, let alone to integrate in. I agree with Aart, some photos of what you are working with could help us understand.

So what are your options? Is there any way to increase the size of the integration area? I don't mean just a few feet but something noticeable. Cost and predators may be issues with this. Exactly how to go about this will depend on your set-up and layout. I don't know if your more aggressive hens will attack them if they have more room.

Another thought is to wait until your pullets mature enough to stand up to the hens and force their way into the pecking order. Maybe after a couple start to lay. There may be some fighting when you merge them so watch that in your tight space but often this is pretty peaceful once they have matured.

If you identify the more aggressive hens try isolating them for a while, totally away from the flock an see how the others integrate in that bigger space. I'm talking isolating for a week or more. Sometime that changes behaviors.

I understand your method has worked in the past. Often this stuff is really pretty easy. But each chicken is an individual and each flock has its own dynamics. With mine each time is different. Good luck!