I have two small young flocks of bantams and would like to merge them into a single flock. Next week our large new coop and covered run arrives with the plan to house them together.
Right now Flock A has 5 pullets aged eight months, with 3 EE, a buff Brahma, and a d’Uccle. (All bantams). The pecking order goes Brahma - EE - d’uccle - EE - EE
Flock B has 7 pullets aged six months, with 2 d’uccle bantams, 2 Cochin bantams, 1 Polish, and 2 Sicilian Buttercups. The Sicilian Buttercups are the highest and the Polish is lowest on the pecking order, with the others in the middle.
I’d like any and all tips on how best to merge the two. Right now the smaller flock is in an Omelet coop/run located adjacent to the run of the larger flock. Even though they have free-ranged in the same areas they have never mixed and keep their distance from one another. They all bawked like mad last week at each other earlier this week when we moved them next to one another. But that seems to have settled down.
I tried putting them in the large covered run together and the Buttercups were aggressive toward the smaller flock / but maybe they just need to work that out?
How best to merge? When to merge? What to watch out for? And will they work it out in time ? These are our first chickens and we LOVE it, but need some guidance here.
Thank you!!
Right now Flock A has 5 pullets aged eight months, with 3 EE, a buff Brahma, and a d’Uccle. (All bantams). The pecking order goes Brahma - EE - d’uccle - EE - EE
Flock B has 7 pullets aged six months, with 2 d’uccle bantams, 2 Cochin bantams, 1 Polish, and 2 Sicilian Buttercups. The Sicilian Buttercups are the highest and the Polish is lowest on the pecking order, with the others in the middle.
I’d like any and all tips on how best to merge the two. Right now the smaller flock is in an Omelet coop/run located adjacent to the run of the larger flock. Even though they have free-ranged in the same areas they have never mixed and keep their distance from one another. They all bawked like mad last week at each other earlier this week when we moved them next to one another. But that seems to have settled down.
I tried putting them in the large covered run together and the Buttercups were aggressive toward the smaller flock / but maybe they just need to work that out?
How best to merge? When to merge? What to watch out for? And will they work it out in time ? These are our first chickens and we LOVE it, but need some guidance here.
Thank you!!