Intro NOT well!

[michmarie10]

Hi to all. I am desperately needing help! I have 5- 18 week old hens I am trying to put with my 4- 1 year old white maran hens and they are nothing short of big bullies! I have had them together now for 3 months with a fence dividing and letting them together everyday for a couple hours and the marans will not stop seeking them out chasing them and pecking the you know what out of them. I can't keep doing this!! Any help would be so greatly appreciated. The young ones will not stick up for themselves at all.

 

[PoultryCQ]

Hi to all. I am desperately needing help! I have 5- 18 week old hens I am trying to put with my 4- 1 year old white maran hens and they are nothing short of big bullies! I have had them together now for 3 months with a fence dividing and letting them together everyday for a couple hours and the marans will not stop seeking them out chasing them and pecking the you know what out of them. I can't keep doing this!! Any help would be so greatly appreciated.

Pecking and chasing is normal in chickens. As long as you introduce them with the see no touch, your flock should be fine. As long as there is no blood. The chicks will outgrow them once they get older...5 weeks is a little young though...

 

[michmarie10]

Pecking and chasing is normal in chickens. As long as you introduce them with the see no touch, your flock should be fine. As long as there is no blood. The chicks will outgrow them once they get older...5 weeks is a little young though...

They are 18 weeks

 

[PoultryCQ]

They are 18 weeks

Oh! So you have 5 all 18 weeks? They will be just fine. 3 months is a long time. Sounds like you are doing just right. My EE chicks used to get chased and when they got older, they chased others.

 

[PoultryCQ]

Oh! So you have 5 all 18 weeks? They will be just fine. 3 months is a long time. Sounds like you are doing just right. My EE chicks used to get chased and when they got older, they chased others.

It part of their pecking order

 

[michmarie10]

Oh! So you have 5 all 18 weeks? They will be just fine. 3 months is a long time. Sounds like you are doing just right. My EE chicks used to get chased and when they got older, they chased others.

So just let it continue and it will stop? No blood yet. Fingers crossed

 

[PoultryCQ]

So just let it continue and it will stop? No blood yet. Fingers crossed

Chickens will chase and peck, but its normal. Even when theres enough introducing...

The integration is to make sure theres no blood, dead chickens (which can totally happen), and cannibalism.

 

[Painted Calls]

It's sort of a balancing act really. They will still need to establish a pecking order. That's what all the chasing and pecking is. However, you need to make sure that they're not bullying as well. If it escalates to the point of blood, separate and try again another day.

 

[Painted Calls]

How big is the area you're trying to transition everyone into?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Next time do it when they are younger, they're less of a threat than they are when they're almost full grown