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?
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?