I have 36 chickens, 3 different ages and 6 different breeds - all supposed to be in the same coop/run.
19 are now 22 weeks old (Delaware, New Hampshire and Partridge Rock)
11 are 19.5 weeks old (Speckled Sussex and Dominique)
6 are 17 weeks old (Wheaten Ameraucana)
(ages as of today)
My 22 week old chickens were content to spend time outside in the run area (72'x56') with the 19.5 week old chickens, but didn't like to share the coop. The 19.5 week old chickens kept their distance, but tried to sleep on the grow out pen where I was keeping the 17 week old chickens. Each night I was taking the 19.5 week old chickens and putting them in the coop on the roost. Something had to change!
One night i decided to mix things up. I moved the 22 week and 19.5 week old chickens into the coop. Then took all the 22 week old roosters (which were giving the poor hens a lot of "time") and put them in a grow out pen. I then locked all the 22 week old hens and the 19.5 week old chickens up in the coop for 3 days. I let the 17 week old chickens out to free range in the run. After the three days, I let the hens out and they seemed to be ok with the 17 week olds (while in the run area). Once again I had a chickens (17 week old) that wouldn't go into the coop. So last night , I locked all the ages up in the coop overnight. This morning, the 17 week old chickens were hiding in the corners of the coop, so I let everyone out. Tonight....one of the 17 week old roosters was in the coop on the roost! I brought the rest in and locked everyone up again. I am hoping that they will get the point as well.
My next move will be to re-introduce the roosters (7 of them, which will be reduced to 5 once i figure out which to keep) one at a time to the flock in hopes that the dynamic will remain in place.
The darn pecking order is killing me!
19 are now 22 weeks old (Delaware, New Hampshire and Partridge Rock)
11 are 19.5 weeks old (Speckled Sussex and Dominique)
6 are 17 weeks old (Wheaten Ameraucana)
(ages as of today)
My 22 week old chickens were content to spend time outside in the run area (72'x56') with the 19.5 week old chickens, but didn't like to share the coop. The 19.5 week old chickens kept their distance, but tried to sleep on the grow out pen where I was keeping the 17 week old chickens. Each night I was taking the 19.5 week old chickens and putting them in the coop on the roost. Something had to change!
One night i decided to mix things up. I moved the 22 week and 19.5 week old chickens into the coop. Then took all the 22 week old roosters (which were giving the poor hens a lot of "time") and put them in a grow out pen. I then locked all the 22 week old hens and the 19.5 week old chickens up in the coop for 3 days. I let the 17 week old chickens out to free range in the run. After the three days, I let the hens out and they seemed to be ok with the 17 week olds (while in the run area). Once again I had a chickens (17 week old) that wouldn't go into the coop. So last night , I locked all the ages up in the coop overnight. This morning, the 17 week old chickens were hiding in the corners of the coop, so I let everyone out. Tonight....one of the 17 week old roosters was in the coop on the roost! I brought the rest in and locked everyone up again. I am hoping that they will get the point as well.
My next move will be to re-introduce the roosters (7 of them, which will be reduced to 5 once i figure out which to keep) one at a time to the flock in hopes that the dynamic will remain in place.
The darn pecking order is killing me!
