I'm sure this is covered somewhere on BYC. I'm also sure I'm not searching for the right words.... here goes anyway:
I hatched my own eggs
and kept them in the house until about week 6. After this I moved them to a dog igloo house in the corner of my run and separated them with wire around and above so the adults could get used to having the little ones around.
This past weekend I introduced them (8wks old) in with the adults. The rooster and one hen didn't seem to care much, but the second hen proceeded to peck the little ones in the back of the neck. I let her, figuring this is normal and she's just being curious or showing them who's boss, but she wouldn't quit. She was hurting the little ones.
Is this pecking order? and she knows the little ones are girls?? (I don't know what gender they are yet) or she just being mean and this will eventually stop? Or am I doing something wrong?
I only have the three adults, two little ones outside about 8wks old, then two in the house about 3wks old. I gotta figure this out, because before too much longer I'm going to need the dog igloo for the new chicks.
Thank you all!
I hatched my own eggs
This past weekend I introduced them (8wks old) in with the adults. The rooster and one hen didn't seem to care much, but the second hen proceeded to peck the little ones in the back of the neck. I let her, figuring this is normal and she's just being curious or showing them who's boss, but she wouldn't quit. She was hurting the little ones.
Is this pecking order? and she knows the little ones are girls?? (I don't know what gender they are yet) or she just being mean and this will eventually stop? Or am I doing something wrong?
I only have the three adults, two little ones outside about 8wks old, then two in the house about 3wks old. I gotta figure this out, because before too much longer I'm going to need the dog igloo for the new chicks.
Thank you all!
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