introducing chicks to hens

[kalbano]

Hi! I have 4 hens who are 10 weeks old and 5 more 2 week old chicks. The older hens are in the coop in which I hope to have all the chickens eventually. I took one of the chicks into the coop and showed the chick to the older chickens. They were very curious and much bolder than usual as they all came up to the chick in my hand. The chick escaped briefly and one of the hens went after it as if to attack it. I caught the chick before anything happened. So now I wonder how, in a few weeks, I am going to introduce the new chickens into the coop without being ravaged.

 

[bigzio]

kalbano, Actually you have 10 week old pullets being introduced to 2 week old chicks that are either pullets or cockerals.
Pecking order is real in the chicken world.Like so many people, you get the birds and realize you have a problem.

Being prepared is more important than starting, so keep that in mind in the future.

Welcome to BYC, alot of great help is here on the site. Alot has been repeated so many times that your answers are easy to find here.

Placing fully featherd chicks with newer ones is not good formula. Placing a fence with visual contact between the two will help with the transition between the two, using seprate water and feed until they are the same size will help alot. Good Luck...

bigzio