Introducing (5) 4 month old chickens to small flock of 3

[WSDtrainer]

OK all - I have read prior posts and been so blessed by your experiences yet this introduction of 17 week old chicks to an existing 1.5 year old chickens is a challenge. The newbies have been in an X pen in the 6x8 chicken coop attached to an outdoor run 5x8 for three weeks, visible but separated through the pen. All were eating, drinking, elder chickens kept laying, all ignored each other fine. The 8 total have roamed the yard freely during this time, with the elder chickens chasing the newbies now and again but no harm. Yesterday, at 17 weeks for the newbies, I took the pen down after a day of free range. The 3 elders keep chasing, at times pinning and pecking the newbies they can catch in the coop and in the pen. No scalping but I may be intervening before that can happen. Of the newbies I have a few pecked combs, certainly lost feathers, one slightly broken beak and some frightfully stressed newbies. All are free ranging today and the babies are sleeping in the flower beds all curled up together seemingly exhausted. Is this just life with new introductions to a flock - or are my 2 RI and a sweet Araucana just "bad chickens!" as my 2 yo Grandson said?

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Try leaving the pen up longer, with the door open. How big is your coop? How much roost space? I have also found production reds (and hatchery RIRs) to be pretty pushy. Things hopefully will settle down over the next week, unless space is too tight, or you have a very difficult older hen. Mary

 

[azygous]

You may need to increase the size of your run to accommodate the older thugs. When you have such aggression, you simply have to have the space, along with additional perches and partitions or old furniture, for the youngsters to evade the pursuers. Or convert the external temp pen into a permanent pen and keep the two groups separate except when free-ranging.

It's what I've resorted to because of a group of four very aggressive hens that wish to take apart the hens of the primary group. It keeps the peace, and there seems to be few incidents when they all free range together.

What you have now is pretty much a fish-in-a-barrel situation where it's too easy for the bullies to pick off the victims. A larger run could solve the problem.

 

[WSDtrainer]

I have heard that about RIR from some local farmers. I like the idea of breaking up the coop. We had built everything up to increase floor space in the 6x8 coop-they have an 8 foot perch wall to wall with a poop shelf plus a 4 rung step ladder mounted against the wall.

It feels like fish in a barrel so thank you so much for your ideas. We are ready to increase the outdoor run space this week, will continue free ranging and keep at it. Thank you again. It is a comfort to have the resources.

 

[newmarch2014]

I have heard that about RIR from some local farmers. I like the idea of breaking up the coop. We had built everything up to increase floor space in the 6x8 coop-they have an 8 foot perch wall to wall with a poop shelf plus a 4 rung step ladder mounted against the wall.

It feels like fish in a barrel so thank you so much for your ideas. We are ready to increase the outdoor run space this week, will continue free ranging and keep at it. Thank you again. It is a comfort to have the resources.

I have been in the same boat. I have 4 existing from last year 2 Buff Orps and 2 that are Production Reds (sold as RIR at the feed store) and they have been terrorists. My newbies are 2 Brahmas and 2 EE. I started putting them in proximity with a barrier at 8 weeks, they are now 18 weeks and finally sleeping in the coop with just a little drama each night as I have to do a little rearranging and protecting as they settle in but for awhile (3 weeks) I had to take the head hen (one of the Reds) out of the run and coop and segregate her in her own fenced off portion of the coop with her own tiny run and I would put her in the run during the afternoon in a dog crate as she was the main aggressor that wanted to mostly kill the Brahma cockerel. She was vicious in her intentions and I have no doubt she would have killed him until he got to be bigger than her but even when he reached her size he is a wimp and she would have done damage. Is it all of your hens that are that mean or can you pinpoint it down to just a couple? My Buffs accepted the newbies for all but bedtime with just regular pecking order stuff (not letting them near the food dish etc.) much earlier than my Reds but I was able to put the lower pecking order Red back in with general population earlier than the head hen because she was not so brave without her buddy and she was just slightly meaner than normal pecking order stuff. I provided 3 water stations, 2 food stations, a few spots that the new EE's can get to that the big girls can't (can't do that with the Brahmas as they are as big) and it has been a collosal stuggle but is finally improving. I made a lot of spots that the littles could tuck themselves into in the run that would put them out of sight out of mind until the big girls happened upon them and then they run for another known spot. They all still mostly run when the big girls get near them but they are slowly spending a little more time in closer proximity to each other. My cockerel crowed for the first time this morning and tried to mount a red this morning (and was shut down quick) so we shall see how this new develpment goes.

 

[Folly's place]

I've given up on production reds, New Hamps, and sex links in my mixed flock. Life is much more peaceful! Mary

 

[WSDtrainer]

So very interesting. When I am not home I keep them separated, oldsters in the coop, young ones in the run so the oldsters can lay. As soon as I return I let them free range again. They are starting to "bunch up" closer during the free range time without a chase. Last night, when I went to check on everyone before bed - the 8 ft roosting board was empty. The 3 elder hens were roosting on the half ladder where the 5 young'ns roosted when the pen was up. So weird, everybody scrunched together, cooing etc.and lights out. You might think a corner turned but the chase was on when I opened the run for all at 545 this am. The 16 weekers were not permitted to come outside! I would say though today was less violent. I bought a leg band to band the RIR that seems most aggressive to be sure I am focusing on the right on. I may try pulling her for 5 days and "reintroducing" her as the "newbie". I have read that can work.

The young ones are Marans and Barred Rocks - very passive - they just clump together and let the two RI walk over them and peck them.