New baby birds scared of older ones!

[quiltinmom]

Hi,

We've had chickens for about a year. Today we put our new babies (about 4-6 weeks old) in with the older ones, and the babies are all huddled up in one corner. I also saw a couple older ones chase a little one and one pecked at her. I read the suggestion about separating them so they can see but not touch each other, but I don't know if that's possible with our current coop setup. They are hiding behind the water thingy, which is right by the door, so I'm afraid their little feet will get pinched when I close the door.

Poor little things...what should I do? Should I take the little ones back into the garage, or do I give it a few days?

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

Well how much smaller are they? I didn't integrate my new ones untill 8-12 weeks and they still got picked on a bit. They have to establish pecking order, but I didn't want to put my little ones in until they were all at least the size of my smallest hen.

 

[Judy]

There is a fair chance the older ones will kill them. You need to separate them until the little ones are adult size. It would be best for them to see and hear each other as the little ones grow up.

 

[Fred's Hens]

To have a fighting chance, the younger chickens need to match the older chickens in size and weight. Still, it can be rough. I make the introductions through a dividing wall of mess, keeping them apart for a few weeks. Then, mingling takes place outside where there is lots of room. Still, chicken politics is brutal.

 

[juliawitt]

They really need to be seperated. Even if you don't have room, you can get a wire cage for the babies. They aren't super expensive, appr. $30.00. That way the older hens can see the babies but the babies are protected. I put my babies out in the coop as soon as they are feathered out, but have a segregation area. I integrate slowly at appr. 15-16 weeks. I only let the babies out when I can watch (with a squirt bottle handy). I squirt hens that are overly aggressive to the babies. I let them all together out in the run 4 or 5 times while watching, then during the night when everyone is a sleep, I leave the segregation door open. Usually takes about a week to integrate. The older hens will attack young new chickens........they can hurt or kill them. Integrate slowly.......it is worth the trouble. I would much rather sit outside and protect for a few afternoons rather than care for an injured baby.

segregation area.

integrating.

 

[elmo]

Yes, I think you need the younger birds in a separate grow out pen until they're pretty much the same size as the adult chickens. I did this for my spring chicks last year even though the adult hens were their own moms. Once a hen has finished raising her chicks and "kicked them out of the nest," she treats them like strangers.

 

[mandelyn]

That's a neat idea with the squirt bottle for mean hens! And here I was going around poking them with a finger like I was the chicken whisperer. LOL

I waited until my babies were 12 weeks old, and set them up in a "cage" area that's built into the coop. I knew 6 hens wasn't going to do it for me, so I added a spot for baby integration. Do you have any floor space at all you can corner off with wire?

You also have to watch and make sure they are getting food. They likely have enough water since they're hiding by it. But the food bowl is invitation only when the big girls are near.

I left mine caged but visible for two weeks, then started supervised outings when I was out there to clean. They're now out full time, and they hide behind the feed bin. I pulled it from the wall and made an exit so they had room to run if one got after them. But the older girls have settled in with them, a peck here or there but nothing serious.

Hens can be REALLY mean, sometimes deathly mean. You always want to have a BIG brooder to handle the babies until they're older. There is "old enough to live outside" at about 8 weeks old. Then there is "Old enough to survive introduction" after 12+ weeks.

But as it stands now with your situation, you have another 2 months of them running scared. They won't try and roost until they are accepted, the big girls just won't let them up if there isn't that much space.