Introducing 8 week chicks to flock- with a mean hen

[Panhandle chick]

Hi- looking for wisdom here I have black star (sex link) flock of 30 and I am realizing with 8 week chicks that they are super mean. I have them in adjacent run during day and one hen obsessively stalks and has gotten a bit in through the fence. Any suggestions? I’m afraid to finally do the full integration.. should I wait until chicks are bigger? BTW new chicks are EE and marans- such a difference in personality

 

[CNJ]

Chickens are so mean, I have two coops, and I let them decide where they want to sleep. The younger chickens that were raised in a smaller coop go back in there at night and the older chicken go back to their bigger coop. I notice that the younger chickens eventually sleep in the big coop when they start laying eggs.

I lock up the younger roosters and keep them away from the dominant rooster, he's too vicious.

 

[Panhandle chick]

Chickens are so mean, I have two coops, and I let them decide where they want to sleep. The younger chickens that were raised in a smaller coop go back in there at night and the older chicken go back to their bigger coop. I notice that the younger chickens eventually sleep in the big coop when they start laying eggs.

I lock up the younger roosters and keep them away from the dominant rooster, he's too vicious.

Agree- as I am learning! It sounds like I will need to create more separate spaces my run. Thank you !!

 

[Tonyroo]

I would let the youngsters get about the same size before putting them together. The 8 week olds use to get harassed by my hens nonstop. So I had to keep them separated till they were about the same size, now they mostly ignore them.

 

[Panhandle chick]

I would let the youngsters get about the same size before putting them together. The 8 week olds use to get harassed by my hens nonstop. So I had to keep them separated till they were about the same size, now they mostly ignore them.

So would you recommend 6 months? That’s my guess for size growth.. I appreciate the advice!

 

[Tonyroo]

5 months old is sufficient for integration, at that size they have a chance to defend themselves without serious injuries. But the pecking order will play out for about 2 weeks. So if you can keep them together but separated by a fence. They'll be accustomed to knowing those chicks belong there.

 

[Tonyroo]

I recently took a different approach to integrating chicks. I hatched 10 chicks from one of my hen back on the 2nd week of April.

I kept the chicks for 5 days in the brooder inside my home. I then transferred them to a nesting box I modified to a brooder attached to the coop.

There 3 weeks old now and I have extended there space inside the coop with the adults. They are able to leave the coop if they want too and they have. My adults are watching the chicks but also leaving them alone. I'm very happy with the progression of this project cause I've never done this before.

It's such a contrast to my Dec. hatch, with those I kept them indoors for 2 1/2 months then tried to integrate them. The parents never accepted them and were constantly harassed by them. I ended up selling all the pullets and culled 2 of the 4 cockerels. The other 2 remaining cockerels will be culled at a later date.

I'm convinced this method I'm using now will be something I'll be doing often. I'm having good results.

 

[CNJ]

My young hens around 5 months and they all went in my big coop tonight. I have two mechanical feeders that I keep out in my yard, its the peddle type that opens when they step on the peddle. I have a fenced yard, so I open the coop in the morning and they run out to play. They have to wait for the older hens to get full before they are allowed to to eat anything.

I am still training the younger ones to eat out of the mechanical feeder. When they see me and are hungry they will come up to me that's when I have to lock the feeder open for them. I have to stand by and remove the lock when they are done or else the wild doves will eat all the feed. It will take about a month for them to use the feeder by them selves.

I use this type of feeder, it has a hydraulic hinge that slowly closes the lid when they step off the peddle. https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Henhou...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[Tonyroo]

Usually chickens learn from others. So hopefully it doesn't take that long for them to understand your mechanical feeder.

 

[Panhandle chick]

I recently took a different approach to integrating chicks. I hatched 10 chicks from one of my hen back on the 2nd week of April.

I kept the chicks for 5 days in the brooder inside my home. I then transferred them to a nesting box I modified to a brooder attached to the coop.

There 3 weeks old now and I have extended there space inside the coop with the adults. They are able to leave the coop if they want too and they have. My adults are watching the chicks but also leaving them alone. I'm very happy with the progression of this project cause I've never done this before.

It's such a contrast to my Dec. hatch, with those I kept them indoors for 2 1/2 months then tried to integrate them. The parents never accepted them and were constantly harassed by them. I ended up selling all the pullets and culled 2 of the 4 cockerels. The other 2 remaining cockerels will be culled at a later date.

I'm convinced this method I'm using now will be something I'll be doing often. I'm having good results.

This sounds like a smart plan. I had my new chicks in my house for 4 weeks and then took them out to coop that has a separate area for them but big girls see them through the mesh..same during the day. Hopefully with this much exposure by the time the chicks are big enough they will assimilate..yesterday that mean hen tried to get one thru the fence-again! Not sure what is up with her! Thanks again to all for wisdom and insight!!