Integration Struggle at Range Time

[avonlea]

I have 7 cinnamon queens that are 12 weeks old. We’ve been trying to integrate since they were 5 weeks old. We did the usual intro with the queens in a crate in the run, then some together run time. They roost together just fine at night but they are still bullied by the hens. They aren’t violent, they just chase them off which a lot of times keeps them from the food and water if they’re locked in the run together. This week we’ve started letting them all out to free range together but the old flock stays together and the cinnamon queens go off on their own little group. Will they eventually get over this and start ranging together? We have a rooster, he doesn’t really care about the cinnamon queens existing but I was really hoping they would range together so they’d be around him. He’s so great about keeping his hens safe.

 

[sourland]

Provide multiple feed and water stations so that the younger birds get to eat. Once they come into lay, the rooster will become interested in them, and they will integrate fully into the flock.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It might take a few months but mine free range together now. Age difference plays a role as my pullets didn’t range with my rooster but my older girls did

 

[Cloverfluff]

I had three different small flocks in one area a while back. There were the three older girls, the silkie and her chick, and six chicks. When they were free ranged together, they stayed in each little group but as time passed, I've seen some of the groups blend. The silkie chick now runs with two of the group of six, and will all interact with two of the older girls. The silkie hen will alternate between groups. It's possible that eventually the hens will band together if given the option and time.