Introducing chicks to chickens. I am just overreacting, right?

[Silkiesaz]

where only little's can fit under the fence board/wire where the blue arrow is..... Works great for me time after time.
View attachment 3211575

So a fence with just a little room under it? Something where the chicks have free access to the whole run but also an area to escape the bigger chickens?

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

LOL! Out of curiosity what breed(s)? Over the years I've stopped getting breeds that I've had to hard of time with even though if I say RIR's are mean, many people will tell me they've had nothing but nice ones. I get that so it's just my own personal science at work. I've always been successful but I do totally get what you're saying as some my flocks would prefer to not roost together ever, with the option to roost separately that I do give them like you do. It's just that after a year when I need to start a new group, I need them to move out of the small coop so I don't give them a choice anymore. It's never easy and I play chicken jenga sometimes at roost time moving them around but ultimately since I'm not going to do that every single night they just have to figure it out.

I have leghorn, jersey giants and silkies. I have a few each of white, brown and silver leghorns and to me each color has a separate characteristic. (My silkies are kept totally separate since their pretty much defenceless and would be predator candy so they don't get to free range.) My silver leghorns seem to be more nitpicking about roosting with strangers than the white or brown.
I've played chicken jenga so I feel for you and my kids think I'm a little crazy getting so involved with the pecking order! LOL! After seeing the aftermath of a flock of chickens turning on one of their own I do my best at keeping the peace.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

So a fence with just a little room under it? Something where the chicks have free access to the whole run but also an area to escape the bigger chickens?

Yes exactly! I don't think the big's are just going to be nice the longer you wait. I think as long as you provide the escape place and put some referee time in, it just takes a long time. But not forever because thankfully the little's get bigger and bigger and then one day when they're all the same size and all laying, it's as peaceful as it's ever going to be. My last batch of little's has been laying for a few weeks and co-existing with the big's for quite a while longer than that. The big's are still mean and the "not so little's anymore" scream and run but as long as no one is really causing bodily damage, my work is definitely done.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I have leghorn, jersey giants and silkies. I have a few each of white, brown and silver leghorns and to me each color has a separate characteristic. (My silkies are kept totally separate since their pretty much defenceless and would be predator candy so they don't get to free range.) My silver leghorns seem to be more nitpicking about roosting with strangers than the white or brown.
I've played chicken jenga so I feel for you and my kids think I'm a little crazy getting so involved with the pecking order! LOL! After seeing the aftermath of a flock of chickens turning on one of their own I do my best at keeping the peace.

100%. agree with you. My very first flock many years ago was a stone cold pack of mean girls and after one passed away thanks to dog at the time, and they had to re-establish pecking order, 2 of them took turns pecking the new low girl one from either side while roosting and I found the poor thing with a broken neck in the morning. Not having that again! I'm the peace keeper....

 

[Happy hen lover]

LOL! Out of curiosity what breed(s)? Over the years I've stopped getting breeds that I've had to hard of time with even though if I say RIR's are mean, many people will tell me they've had nothing but nice ones. I get that so it's just my own personal science at work. I've always been successful but I do totally get what you're saying as some my flocks would prefer to not roost together ever, with the option to roost separately that I do give them like you do. It's just that after a year when I need to start a new group, I need them to move out of the small coop so I don't give them a choice anymore. It's never easy and I play chicken jenga sometimes at roost time moving them around but ultimately since I'm not going to do that every single night they just have to figure it out.

My worst old hen is a RIR too just so you know. I named her after my Mom who passed but may have to Rename some "not so nice name" like Cruella or something! I did stand out in run and think her on head with hollow broom handle while squawking at her. She's just afraid of the handle it didn't stop her. Feed and roost times are the worst. I feed them in 11 different places now with wet feed cause she can't be everywhere. !

 

[rosemarythyme]

So a fence with just a little room under it? Something where the chicks have free access to the whole run but also an area to escape the bigger chickens?

That can work, however your chicks are getting close to being too old/big for that (I find that around 8 weeks is the cut off before the gap size is too big to exclude adults), so adding more clutter in general would also be advisable.

A cluttered run thread (my run clutter is here): https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

 

[aart]

The rooster and other hens will back by Sunday.

What? Are they on vacation?
How long have they been gone?
This will be another integration conundrum added to the mix.
How big is your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

That can work, however your chicks are getting close to being too old/big for that (I find that around 8 weeks is the cut off before the gap size is too big to exclude adults), so adding more clutter in general would also be advisable.

A cluttered run thread (my run clutter is here): https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Ditto Dat.

 

[Silkiesaz]

What? Are they on vacation?
How long have they been gone?
This will be another integration conundrum added to the mix.
How big is your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

I will get pictures. The rooster and hens are at my county fair this week. They will be back Sunday. Should I just wait to add the chicks until all the chickens are at home?

 

[Silkiesaz]

That can work, however your chicks are getting close to being too old/big for that (I find that around 8 weeks is the cut off before the gap size is too big to exclude adults), so adding more clutter in general would also be advisable.

A cluttered run thread (my run clutter is here): https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Would some tubs and logs work? I have lots of those.

 

[Silkiesaz]

Here is the coop and run. I don't know the size of the coop or run, sorry.