merging chicks

[Crazychickadee]

Hello,
I have 6 laying hens( buff orpingtons and black asterlorps) that I have raised and they were my first. Since they are almost a year old I have taken on 22 other chicks ( some buffs and salmon faverolle mostly) I kept the newer chicks in there own brooder until they were 3 weeks old and than moved them to a bigger cooper right next to my laying hens until this weekend when they turned 8 weeks old. They have shown interest in each other and none of my hens seems mean in any way. So we choose to open up a sections where the teens could join the hens if they wanted. but the hens couldn't get into the teens pen ( or so we thought) after some time of watching them we left them go checking in once in a while to make sure that no one was hurt or fighting. After a couple checks we came to find the hens had wedged themselves in with the teens but did not seem to have much interest in them but instead was eating all there food..... after some time we noticed that only once in a while would the hens peck or chase the teens and for the most part the teens stayed clear of the hens. all seems ok for a day or two but now it seems that the hens have given up on there food ( which is the same starter and grower with oaster shells in its own container for when they need.) and are bullying ( not super mean) the teens from there food and water. I don't know if this will sort its self out and is normal. So any feedback would be awesome. I did shoo the hens out of the teens area and close the door so they could eat and drink in piece for the night and will try again tomorrow. I have not noticed that any one teen is hurt or bleeding but I have seen an up tick of feathers laying around. Thank you in advance for your advice!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Normal. Problem as you've found out is in a way you may have waited too long to start letting the chicks out, as chick/panic doors don't work well at around 8 weeks and up, as hens can force their way into the openings. Since the hens seem to be leaving the chicks alone, I would skip the chick openings and instead opt for more feeders and more clutter, to give the chicks more opportunity to eat and places to take refuge from hens.

Just as an example, this is a diagram of my run with obstacles, and pink Xs representing where food bowls go.

Another idea as well, with clutter, is to try putting a feeder and waterer on TOP of a taller piece of clutter (jungle gym pictured here). Hens will still go up there but they're less likely to bother, which gives chicks more chance to eat without being bothered.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, this is good advice.

Plenty of feeding and watering stations spread out and hidden from one another.

 

[Crazychickadee]

Thank you I will have to try that I do have multiple feeders and watering stations but in the main hen area they are all together and same with the chick area they are all together so I will try and spread them out more. Just frustrating that the hens have the same food but would much rather invade where the chicks go and block them out from feed and water. They are like children that each have the same toy but fight over just one. Lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just frustrating that the hens have the same food but would much rather invade where the chicks go and block them out from feed and water. They are like children that each have the same toy but fight over just one. Lol

"Grass is greener" syndrome. In the mornings my hens move like a very slow whirlpool, going from one bowl of identical feed to the next, because clearly the next bowl is better because someone else is eating from it.