integration support?

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Hi friends
I'm looking for support on this integration process that I've been doing. The two older girls are currently in their regular set up, 17'x3.5' run attached to 16sf coop. Next to them are the babies, now four months old, living in another same size run but I have been taking them into my shed at night to sleep. The two come out together to free range in the garden for about an hour a day. The older ones still really chase the babies and try and bite them even though they're the same size. The younger ones are quite nervous now. They have been in the 'see no touch' for four weeks, and have been out together for those periods for a few weeks as well. I am in a more urban setting so free ranging them all day is not an option, and they need to be contained most of the time in their run. Will they ever be able to coexist?? When I put them all in one run, the older girls just run around and chase the babies while they sqwack. But there is not really anywhere to go, as it's a long/narrow run and they can only go up onto roost bars etc but the younger ones are orps and don't seem to love getting higher up so they get panicky and are always trying to find a way out. I am feeling discouraged but I really need to have them living together soon. It's not feasible for me to keep bringing the babies inside before dark to the shed to sleep and back out in the morning as sometimes I work evenings. Help?

-Feeling hopeless

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you keep separating them you're just resetting the process over and over. It's normal for the existing birds to harass the newcomers, so you need to set it up so the younger birds can safely take shelter from the older ones.

Photos of your set up? Especially the run. I think you're aware the narrowness of it is a problem and it sounds like you lack clutter in there as well to provide hiding spots and to break line of sight: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

 

[Debbie292d]

Mine are silkies and are also four months old and the same thing is happening. Last year, we had them all loving each other at five months. Ours all seem to be the same size, and in fact, one of my old hens is smaller than these young ones are, but she'll still peck them to get out of her way if there's food they found. They all free-range and pretty much stay out of each other's way. Without knowing your breed, I'd assume in a few weeks they should all be getting along fine.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

If you keep separating them you're just resetting the process over and over. It's normal for the existing birds to harass the newcomers, so you need to set it up so the younger birds can safely take shelter from the older ones.

Photos of your set up? Especially the run. I think you're aware the narrowness of it is a problem and it sounds like you lack clutter in there as well to provide hiding spots and to break line of sight: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

there's lots of clutter in there, I have two long roosts on one wall, two other shelves on another wall, and some things to step over and under in the run, as well as they have a big dustbath container under the coop. I'll post photos later today when I'm off work. I have connected the runs now through a pop door but none of them go through it regularly and when the babies did and went into older girls territory they ran around frantically and didn't seem to remember how to get out again.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Mine are silkies and are also four months old and the same thing is happening. Last year, we had them all loving each other at five months. Ours all seem to be the same size, and in fact, one of my old hens is smaller than these young ones are, but she'll still peck them to get out of her way if there's food they found. They all free-range and pretty much stay out of each other's way. Without knowing your breed, I'd assume in a few weeks they should all be getting along fine.

the two new ones are lavender orp and australorp and the older girls are a blue star and a cuckoo marans (she's the head hen).

 

[NatJ]

The two older girls are currently in their regular set up, 17'x3.5' run attached to 16sf coop. Next to them are the babies, now four months old, living in another same size run but I have been taking them into my shed at night to sleep.

I have connected the runs now through a pop door but none of them go through it regularly and when the babies did and went into older girls territory they ran around frantically and didn't seem to remember how to get out again.

You could try switching which birds are in which run for a few days (close the pop door for that time.) That will let the young ones learn where everything is and get comfortable in the space, without having to watch out for the older hens while they explore. Then try opening the pop door again.

If the second run is not safe for them to sleep in, maybe take the older birds into the shed to sleep safe for that time, so the young ones can also get used to sleeping in the correct coop.

(This is not guaranteed to solve your problems, but hopefully it will at least help improve the situation.)

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

there's lots of clutter in there, I have two long roosts on one wall, two other shelves on another wall, and some things to step over and under in the run, as well as they have a big dustbath container under the coop.

You could try switching which birds are in which run for a few days (close the pop door for that time.) That will let the young ones learn where everything is and get comfortable in the space, without having to watch out for the older hens while they explore. Then try opening the pop door again.

If the second run is not safe for them to sleep in, maybe take the older birds into the shed to sleep safe for that time, so the young ones can also get used to sleeping in the correct coop.

(This is not guaranteed to solve your problems, but hopefully it will at least help improve the situation.)

the second run isn't safe to sleep in as it's not predator proof (just fenced in) which is why the babies have been going to the shed. I think what I am going to try tomorrow is to actually put the babies' crate into the run of the big girls for the night. That will get them used to sleeping in that region instead of in my shed which is the other side of the yard. I have been putting the younger ones in the contained run while the older girls are out or in the second run, and it's been going well. They seem so comfy until they are around the big girls and head hen starts chasing them relentlessly

 

[rosemarythyme]

there's lots of clutter in there, I have two long roosts on one wall, two other shelves on another wall, and some things to step over and under in the run, as well as they have a big dustbath container under the coop. I'll post photos later today when I'm off work. I have connected the runs now through a pop door but none of them go through it regularly and when the babies did and went into older girls territory they ran around frantically and didn't seem to remember how to get out again.

Will wait on photos for further advice, possibly clutter can be moved around to more effectively break up space, and I'm curious to see how the two runs are connected.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Will wait on photos for further advice, possibly clutter can be moved around to more effectively break up space, and I'm curious to see how the two runs are connected.

they're connected through a pop door that I can open and close. I have time afterwork today when there is still light so I'll grab a pic!

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Here are pics!
The coop and run, inside view of the contained run, the door I built to go between the runs, and the view of the second run behind the coop/run set up. Tonight for the first time I put their crate into the secure run for the night. They are kind of freaked out as it's a new place and I hope it goes well tonight. I needed them out of the shed (which is actually my indoor studio workspace, not really a shed) and hoping this will help get them used to where they'll eventually live.

Today the pop door between runs was open all day and none ventured on either side until later in the day when I was there the young lavender orpington went onto older girls side and they kept cornering her and beating her up, it was so sad and she was panicking. She's a big girl (lav orp) and she never seems to go up or get out of the way, just tries to get out of the run franticly. I ended up opening up the main door so they could all go out of the run because I was worried she was going to get injured trying to get away from the beating my heart was racing. so hard to see animals get hurt, I don't want it to happen. I am feeling so discouraged and have even thought that maybe I can't do this. I just didn't want to only have two chickens in case one passed away. We originally had three but one passed early on