intergrating new chick.

[Kellyjenny]

If anybody has any advice to help me it would be greatly appreciated I have six hens that are almost a year old I hatched five chicks they are now going on two and a half three months and I'm having a hard time integrating them I did all the things that people advised to do and still not working anything I do is not working yesterday all six of my hands attacked viciously not pack ed but they attacked I'm trying every day and I'm out of options can somebody please help me any advice would be appreciated thank you Hope to hear from somebody soon.

 

[Mutchi]

So, sorry, I'm a noob at chickens but, I might help you with this one! First, what does integrating mean?

 

[Mutchi]

Sorry that's a dumb question but I'm not sure what to means

 

[Kellyjenny]

So, sorry, I'm a noob at chickens but, I might help you with this one! First, what does integrating mean?

Putting new chicks with your existing chickens.

 

[Mutchi]

Ok, I would have them in a brooder in the coop. They can bond with the flock through the fencing on the side then you can bend open a corner (small enough to let them out yet, too small to let large chickens in) then they have a place to run if bullied. They should still use it as a bedroom and will take a sec to find the hole you had bended.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

Hello there!
I can speak to this a bit. I had four 1 year old hens (3 Black Star and 1 Isa Brown) and I just introduced our 4 new ducklings (4 Indian Runners) who were 2.5 months old. I did everything that was suggested as well (slow introductions outside near the chickens as they free-range, introductions near the run, introductions in the run), all using an exercise pen for the ducklings to stay in so everyone could see one another and get close safely. My chickens seemed okay so I put the ducklings into the run with the chickens and my 1 Isa Brown was not friendly at all. At first, she was just puffing up and acting tough, but it slowly progressed to worse behavior. So, I separated the run using the exercise panels and brought the Isa Brown hen into my basement at night to sleep so she wouldn't share the coop at night with the ducklings. Well, after a week of doing that, I thought she would change her ways or move positions on the pecking order or something, but she actually got worse. She tried to attack the ducklings through the side of the run when she was free-ranging and also whenever they got close to her in the run. She pulled out feathers and the ducklings were terrified. So, I ended up having to sell her to another farm. I felt bad but it was the only solution. I didn't want to get rid of her, but I figured at least she could have a happy life somewhere else. I don't know how helpful this is to you. I just wanted to share my experience. It is really hard when birds don't get along. I'm looking to expand my coop and run this summer and add more birds but I just hope it goes well. It very well could have been breed related. The Isa Brown was the only one with issues. My 3 Black Star chickens are great with the ducks.

 

[Kellyjenny]

Hello there!
I can speak to this a bit. I had four 1 year old hens (3 Black Star and 1 Isa Brown) and I just introduced our 4 new ducklings (4 Indian Runners) who were 2.5 months old. I did everything that was suggested as well (slow introductions outside near the chickens as they free-range, introductions near the run, introductions in the run), all using an exercise pen for the ducklings to stay in so everyone could see one another and get close safely. My chickens seemed okay so I put the ducklings into the run with the chickens and my 1 Isa Brown was not friendly at all. At first, she was just puffing up and acting tough, but it slowly progressed to worse behavior. So, I separated the run using the exercise panels and brought the Isa Brown hen into my basement at night to sleep so she wouldn't share the coop at night with the ducklings. Well, after a week of doing that, I thought she would change her ways or move positions on the pecking order or something, but she actually got worse. She tried to attack the ducklings through the side of the run when she was free-ranging and also whenever they got close to her in the run. She pulled out feathers and the ducklings were terrified. So, I ended up having to sell her to another farm. I felt bad but it was the only solution. I didn't want to get rid of her, but I figured at least she could have a happy life somewhere else. I don't know how helpful this is to you. I just wanted to share my experience. It is really hard when birds don't get along. I'm looking to expand my coop and run this summer and add more birds but I just hope it goes well. It very well could have been breed related. The Isa Brown was the only one with issues. My 3 Black Star chickens are great with the ducks.

I no I have 6 Isa brown's.

 

[Vacman]

I will be facing this problem in a few weeks. What I intend to do is fence off a section of my run and place a tarp in there as shelter for the new chicks. I will put the tarp over rounded frames made of irrigation tubing. They will have a chance to mature in there. I think that the reason you are having problems is that your new chicks aren't big enough to mix in with the established hens.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

Oh boy. I don't know what to do. That's tough. Maybe you should wait until your new chicks are older before integrating them. I know they are already 3 months, but maybe once they are a little older and bigger, the Isa Brown's will back off. I've only had chickens for a little over a year so I'm not an expert by any means. Maybe someone with more experience could chime in? What breed are the new chicks? Do they go after the chicks when everyone is free-ranging too? How much space do they have? I had enough space for everyone and still had issues.

On another note, I plan on adopting breeds that are more friendly and less likely to be aggressive in the future. Had I known that the Isa Browns were going to be meaner than the Black Stars, I would have gotten all Black Stars. Live and learn I guess. I know that every bird is different and not all the breed info about personality is 100% accurate all the time, but I'm going to at least try to find birds that will get along with others more.

 

[aart]

I did all the things that people advised to do and still not working

What exactly did you do?
Give details and timeline.

Please post pics of your coop and run.
Dimensions too.

Meanwhile.....Here's some tips about......
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/