Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[aart]

This integration stuff is stressful. I've already had a couple bleeding wounds (nothing serious, but enough to draw blood). We are only letting them interact when free ranging so there's lots of space, and with supervision. Every time the big girls get near the chicks, though, they go after them. I have had to put my foot between a hen and chick many times to avoid worse pecking.

When not free ranging they are all in the coop separated by chicken wire, so they've had time to observe each other. The chicks don't seem to get that they need to steer clear of the bigs, and the bigs basically seem to want to kill the littles. Any advice?

We have only 2 bigs (6 months) and 2 chicks. One of the bigs is a bit of a bully but I've seen the other one go after the babies, too.

How long did they live separated in the coop before trying to integrate?
Do you have multiple feed/water stations?
Not sure why the littles aren't running away from the bigs....so they just hunker down and get beat up?

 

[Blooie]

Have you got safety spots in case they are getting pecked at and are too far from their pen to escape? I have a big hollow log upside down in the run and they duck under there if Big is getting out of hand. Outside in the yard there's the other half. They haven't had to use them very often, but they do use them.

 

[saraem]

How long did they live separated in the coop before trying to integrate?
Do you have multiple feed/water stations?
Not sure why the littles aren't running away from the bigs....so they just hunker down and get beat up?

Just a week with the littles in the coop so far...they're 4 weeks now.

They do have their own food/water but we haven't let them interact at all in the coop because I feel like when they're out in the yard it's lower stress: no fighting over food, lots of space to run, and easy for us to get between them if we need to.

The littles do run, but only after they've been lunged at/pecked (at which point we usually herd them apart...are we stepping in too soon? I just don't anyone to get seriously hurt!) Before that they seem content to let the big girls come near them and will even run up to them and get under them if they're scratching and find something of interest. They don't give them a wide berth is I guess what it is, or seem wary enough of them...they don't run until after aggression is already happening.

 

[saraem]

Mouse, our barred rock, is MEAN. Always has been. As a chick she was 2 weeks younger than everyone else and bullied THEM!

I've thought about letting them out with just our BO, who is less aggressive, and seeing how that went. Good idea or bad?

 

[Blooie]

Chicks need a few pecks on the po-po to teach them boundaries. I generally ignore that and let them work it out, which they somehow seem to do. I only intercede if it's getting out of hand, which it seldom does. I have a long, flexible bamboo thingy that was made for tying pole beans to in a garden. Very lightweight, gives me a longer reach, and when a Big gets too feisty with a chick I run over there and give her a "bite' on the head. "My chick", just like a broody hen would do. Now, I'm not saying to clobber the offender - all you have to do is tap her. Bamboo is perfect for that because it's so light they feel the action, not get the stuffin' knocked out of them. An old fishing pole also works for that. But very seldom do I ever do it.....the chicks need to learn that they are members of a flock and they need to learn to behave as such. The Bigs also need to learn that these chicks aren't going away and they need to accept them. So intervene if you have to, otherwise a few pecks are no big deal.

 

[junebuggena]

Mouse isn't mean, she's just dominant. And if you are letting chicks that young mingle with adults, they need a lot of safe escape places, so they can get out of sight quickly.

 

[azygous]

Mouse, our barred rock, is MEAN. Always has been. As a chick she was 2 weeks younger than everyone else and bullied THEM!

I've thought about letting them out with just our BO, who is less aggressive, and seeing how that went. Good idea or bad?

To me, from your descriptions of interactions between chicks and adults, your chicks need more time in a safe enclosure adjacent to the adult flock before they mingle. The mention of the chicks still wanting to "get under" adults while out together is a clue the chicks are still clueless. The enclosure should be placed where the chicks have maximum exposure to the adults during the day. It won't accomplish much if the chicks are in the coop during the day and the adults are all out free-ranging.

Trying to "get under" adults is an instinct, but it's one that will get a small chick injured unless the chicks have learned about the different temperaments of the adults and whom to run from and those adults who won't harm them. This is why it's so important to let baby chicks have time in a safe enclosure where they can observe the adults but not be punished for mistakes. Usually a week will accomplish this.

After that period of being with the adults but not mingling, I recommend the panic room method of integration for maximum safety and well being for the chicks. This should be wherever the adults are hanging out during the day. For the most part, chicks won't face any real danger sleeping in the coop at night with the adults.

 

[saraem]

Thanks all. Very helpful. I was kind of joking about Mouse being mean. We all call her the "big jerk", but I get that she's dominant and territorial - and those are good qualities to have in a flock that free-ranges.

The adults are generally out 3-8 hours a day, most days falling in the middle of that range, depending how much we're home and outdoors. So it's true the chicks are only getting them part time, and maybe that's why they've been slow to wise up. They do understand to stay back from the wall of their enclosure now when someone lunges, but I guess they're still working it out when they're in the yard. I actually have a bamboo stick I could use and we'll just keep at it in small doses until it works, I suppose. I will also move their tractor into the yard every day while the big girls are out.

 

[saraem]

One more question:

I've had MHP off for the last several days as Summer's had a last gasp and temps have been 65/85. Day after tomorrow they'll be down to 45 at night. Turn it back on low? Chicks are 4 weeks today.

 

[junebuggena]

They will probably be fine without the heating pad on. The cave, even if off, does still offer them some warmth by holding in body heat.