New pullets in the flock

[Valthenya]

Do you have plenty of "clutter" in your run?

Could you show us photos?

A cluttered run​

Here are a couple photos and a photo of the babies for fun. It's 100 today so the heat is on.

 

[3KillerBs]

Here are a couple photos and a photo of the babies for fun. It's 100 today so the heat is on.

Plenty of enrichment, but maybe you could arrange more hiding places where they could get entirely out of sight?

Without being trapped in a corner, that is.

I lean boards, etc. against things so that the youngsters can squirt through a tunnel away from an adult and come out in a spot that's visually-blocked from the entrance.

 

[Valthenya]

Plenty of enrichment, but maybe you could arrange more hiding places where they could get entirely out of sight?

Without being trapped in a corner, that is.

I lean boards, etc. against things so that the youngsters can squirt through a tunnel away from an adult and come out in a spot that's visually-blocked from the entrance.

I had a couple of small pieces of plywood so i leaned those up against the walls to try to help create some tunnels, i also found some small wood i put through the bars to create some more roosts in the run

 

[3KillerBs]

I had a couple of small pieces of plywood so i leaned those up against the walls to try to help create some tunnels, i also found some small wood i put through the bars to create some more roosts in the run

One way that chickens show acceptance of dominance is to get out of the dominant bird's site so hiding places are important. But they can't be traps.

Which is why I started making these tunnels.

 

[Saveria]

Here are a couple photos and a photo of the babies for fun. It's 100 today so the heat is on.

That already looks great. Hopefully the tunnels will help cut down on bullying.

Thank you so much, 3KillerBs. I was hoping someone with your level of experience would show up!

 

[Valthenya]

That already looks great. Hopefully the tunnels will help cut down on bullying.

Thank you so much, 3KillerBs. I was hoping someone with your level of experience would show up!

as long as they leave the coop i am hoping it will, i'm going to give them more time and just make sure they have water in the coop, and time with me in the run twice a day to be able to come out and eat

 

[Saveria]

Yeah, it sounds like you are doing everything you can. I am hoping this is a distant memory for you soon, and that the next time you introduce birds it is much less of a headache.

I rely on just throwing them all outside when they get sassy with each other since I only introduce in Spring/Summer and have a lot of cover here, but you and 3KillerBs gave me some great ideas of how to keep them occupied in our winter run that we have.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am betting you have one or two old biddys and followers. You might lock a couple of the older birds in the crate, and let the chicks work it out with just 1 or 2 big girls. Let that settle a bit, maybe 2-3 days. Then add ONE of the older ones back in, let it settle, then 1-2 more.

The hideouts and clutter are crucial. And so is setting up multiple feed stations, but what is more important, set them up so that a bird eating at one station, cannot see a bird eating at another.

Is that the only coop? Because that is very small for 8-9 birds. That size coop is really only enough space for 3-4 birds.

Mrs K

 

[Saveria]

Ms. K was talking about a particular method on another thread and I realized it could help here, too. Folks will set up a "one way gate", where the spaces in the fence allow smaller birds in and out, but not the full grown hens. You could put some feed and water behind one to make sure the little ones have unimpeded access to it.

I couldn't find a good picture for some reason, but it would end up looking like this, maybe a little taller.

Can't you just picture those little ones flitting back and forth while the big girls are stuck on the one side.

 

[Valthenya]

I am betting you have one or two old biddys and followers. You might lock a couple of the older birds in the crate, and let the chicks work it out with just 1 or 2 big girls. Let that settle a bit, maybe 2-3 days. Then add ONE of the older ones back in, let it settle, then 1-2 more.

The hideouts and clutter are crucial. And so is setting up multiple feed stations, but what is more important, set them up so that a bird eating at one station, cannot see a bird eating at another.

Is that the only coop? Because that is very small for 8-9 birds. That size coop is really only enough space for 3-4 birds.

Mrs K

The coop is temporary and they spend 95 percent of their time in the run. We are getting ready to build a newer coop.