My chickens won't share!

[kara_leigh]

I have 11 chickens that share the same coop. There are 7 older ones, and 4 younger ones (about 2-4 weeks difference between them, not exactly sure how old the first ones are), the younger ones are 17 weeks old today. The older ones won't let the younger ones get into the coop on their own. Every time they try, they are pecked really hard and chased off, and then they end up roosting on our retaining wall until dark when I go put them in myself. They sleep together in it just fine, and have been for well about a month. As long as I put the younger ones in after dark and arrange them so that they are on different sides of the coop, everyone is fine.

Is there anything else I can do? Will they ever get to a point where they will play nice? They free range during the day, and while they do have their own groups and have a definitely pecking order between the two of them, they range peacefully and never fight. Am I going to have to put the four into the coop myself every night for the rest of my life?

 

[Country Heart]

The good news is...you will not have to do this for the rest of your life. The bad news is...you do need a temporary solution.

You might try setting up a "creep perch" (think creep feeder) type area within the coop. This would be an area where only the young ones could go to put themselves to bed without being bothered by the older girls.

Eventually the young ones will be deemed "worthy" of the big girl perch - but sometimes this could take a while. Usually by the time the little ones start laying, they are part of the big girl club.

Good luck.

 

[bairo]

yep....the above answer pretty much sums it up. Been there done that, lol

you usually have better luck when you introduce new younger members before the older ones have started laying ( but I know is next to impossible sometimes )

 

[kara_leigh]

The older ones haven't started laying yet, afaik, and they were free ranging together for a few weeks before they were put in a coop together at night. They have always been very civil with each other, the small ones just aren't "allowed" in the coop. I make them sleep there anyway, b/c I have no where else for them to sleep.