I have 3 pullets, 26 weeks old. I also have a mother hen and five 7-week old chicks who I planned to intergrate slowly but the hen did it herself suddenly when the chicks where only a few days old. She has protected them of course from the pullets. They have now been in the same run for almost 7 weeks. I had one house and they fought almost constantly in it at bedtime. No blood, just fussing and pecking. Built a new coop and have tried to transition the 3 pullets to the new coop so all could at least sleep peacefully. Not sure when Mother hen will wean. My question is....they still continue to act like 2 separate units. They fuss over food. They fuss at bedtime. The pullets run the chicks and momma runs the pullets. It's a circle effect. How long til it works out hopefully and I have one flock and not 2 that don't get along? And is there anything I can do to help them come together better?
Intergration question
- Thread starter Futuregreenefarm
- Start date
It will take time, and as the chicks get older and larger they will be able to hold their own. Meantime, make sure there are multiple feeding and watering stations, lots of obstacles for the chicks to run behind, perhaps some too small for a full sized pullet to get into, and watch for when mom hen weans them. It could get more difficult at that point. I personally keep my chicks separate until they are nearly as big as my hens, but I know a lot of people on here who don't do that. I'm not comfortable with the risk of injury, so I do what makes me comfortable.
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- #3
This may be a dumb question but I wonder also, do chickens not know their own. The 3 pullets are from the hen's spring batch but she weaned at 6 weeks and went back to where she came from (she didn't belong to me but roamed the neighborhood). She came back 7 weeks ago to hatch this new set and I decided to try to keep her. Would she know the 3 pullets are from her first batch?
I'm always asking the question, who knows the mind of a chicken? It seems to me that they treat them just like any other flock mates at some point. I do know my mama hen did not allow her cockerel offspring to mount her, ever. So there's that.
No, generally they do not 'know their own'.
Young birds, in this case once the broody weans them, are not really part of the adults pecking order until they reach point of lay.
It's odd that she hatched chicks with you, then went to another keeper, then came back to you to hatch another batch?
Do you have other chickens other than this broody and her chicks?
Maybe you'll find some helpful clues in my notes 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.
- Thread starter
- #6
I only have the hen and chicks and the 3 pullets from her spring batch. I have done all that's suggested. They just don't seem to want to get along and form one flock.
Last edited:
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- #8
Oh thanks @aart I was just editing my post cuz I think I am too wordy sometimes.
Sorry about that and thanks for finding my old thread.
Sorry about that and thanks for finding my old thread.
- Thread starter
- #9
The hen is somewhat wild. She wants to sleep in a tree! I've had trouble getting my 3 pullets to stay in the new house and keeping the hen and chicks out of the trees. I try hard to feed them the same. I don't do treats everyday but when I do, I put little piles all around and they just move to each pile and push each other out. The hen and chicks are still in the little house when I can catch her before the tree and then I close it up and make the pullets go in the new house but it's only temporary I hope. I eventually want them all together minus the cockerels once they show themselves.
I has said previously and deleted it, but the hen came back to the little house where she raised the first batch. I just wonder how they can remember some things like that but can't remember their offspring?
I has said previously and deleted it, but the hen came back to the little house where she raised the first batch. I just wonder how they can remember some things like that but can't remember their offspring?
- Thread starter
- #10
Also, a different question...how long to re-home to a new coop usually? I've locked my 3 pullets in the new coop and run for 4 days at a time and they still want to return to the old coop. It's to the point I have to be home every evening at dusk to try to herd everyone into the appropriate house when they come in from free ranging. If I am not there, I have a hen and chicks in the tree and pullets in the old house. The one pullet who lays, is laying in the new coop and it seems like she doesn't want to sleep there when she is made too. They go in once I close up the small house behind the hen and chicks but they circle it for several minutes before they give up and go back to the new one.
I locked them up each last night in their coops and I'm not going to let out except the small run areas until they get adjusted. How long should I leave them in?
I locked them up each last night in their coops and I'm not going to let out except the small run areas until they get adjusted. How long should I leave them in?
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