My hens aren't playing nice??

[misslys15]

We have three hens, a Golden Laced Wyandotte, a Barred Plymouth Rock, and a Rhode Island Red, and we have been trying to introduce our six new pullets (3 Tetra Tints and 3 Golden Comets) into the flock. At first we started letting them see each other in separate runs for a few days, and bringing the pullets out to play on warm days and taking them inside at night because it was still kinda cold for them. They now all stay outside in the coop together, but now it's been about 3 weeks since they met and our Barred Plymouth Rock and especially our Golden Laced Wyandotte still peck at the pullets. They have never been bloodied or anything let that; I don't even think they've plucked any feathers out. But the pullets are still scared of the hens. Our Rhode Island Red is completely fine with them. Sometimes she'll try to follow the six pullets around and tries to befriend them, but since she's a bigger hen like the other two who do peck at them, they're scared of her. Usually when our hens come out of the coop in the morning into the run, the pullets are too scared to go out there with them and either stay in the coop for most of the morning or we have to let them out. When they're let out of their run, the six pullets stay together and the three hens stay together, with the exception of the RIR sometimes venturing off to get rejected by the pullets. How do I make them into a unified flock that doesn't peck at each other? Right now it seems like I just have 2 flocks in the same living quarters. Their coop isn't as big as I would like it to be, but it isn't that small either, but they peck at each other on the roosts. This summer we will probably build a tool shed into a coop. Do you think that will fix the problem, if they have more space? What can I do in the meantime?

 

[sourland]

Flock integrations are always tricky. Bigger chickens generally pick on smaller chickens; therefore, most wait until new additions are almost full grown before introducing them. As long as they are not being bloodied, I would not intercede. They will eventually works things out. More space will definitely help.

 

[misslys15]

The Barred Plymouth Rock just attacked the pullets. There were feathers flying everywhere. One of the pullets was in a corner too scared to move, and we had to put her back with the other pullets. Now the pullets are all piled on top of each other in another corner of the coop, terrified. Should I try to separate them again until the pullets get bigger? They are just about 2 months old now. If not, what should I do if they do get bloodied? I got Blu-Kote just in case, but none of my chickens have ever been injured before. We always supervise them while they're outside their coop because our neighbors have two big dogs, and their coop is really protected, so we've never had an issue with predators or anything. And two of the hens were from the same shipment, and the third was added as a chick about a week or two later, and they always got along. So I'm new to the caring for injured birds thing! I just want them to get along.

 

[sourland]

You may be ahead of the game to separate them until the pullets are larger. Once they are older, introduce the original hens to the new flock one at a time starting with the RIR. Once they are settled, add the Wyandotte and add the Barred Rock last - this process may take several days.

 

[Mrs. K]

When you add a different age group, they will remain two separate flocks until they go through the winter..... in my experience. (Perhaps cold makes friends with any other warm body?) By the following spring, they will be one flock. However, sometimes colors tend to stay a bit closer together.

I think that 8 weeks growing time will make a big difference, but there will probably be a separation until next year.

Mrs K