Newish chickens won't leave coop

[nutmeg2356]

hello!
I introduced my 3- 20 week old chickens to my 4- 20 something week old layers about a week and a half ago. Since the very first day they have totally refused to leave the coop and still sometimes get picked on by the other ladies. I gradually introduced them and added hem at night, but still had a few very bad "arguments" that I had to break up. One of the younger ones got a patch of feathers pulled out off her head, but fortunately the arguments have become a lot more calm and a lot less common since then.

How do I get them to leave he coop? I've been having to put feeders and waterers up there numerous times everyday (they get knocked over and spilled within a few minutes) and I can't always be home to ensure their water isn't spilled. They aren't over crowded, but the babies have always been very very skittish and flighty no matter how hard I tried to socialize them. So this is why they're just cowering in the coop versus venturing out.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's pretty normal. They will start to venture out when they feel more comfortable. Right now they don't know where they are at or what is going on.

If there's still aggression bad enough for you to intervene they may need to be separated out by a fence for a while, especially at night so things don't get out of hand.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

As everybody else is out in the run, your new girls feel less stress and are less attacked if they hang out in the coop. I wouldn't feed them in there, unless you normally keep feed in there. They'll come out on their own, but give them a reason to, i.e. to get something to eat or drink.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I had a lot of aggression when I introduced new chicks to the flock to the point where I had to separate them with a fence down the center of the run for a month or so. Luckily we have two houses in the run. Maybe if they're separated they will feel less threatened and more likely to come out

 

[azygous]

As others have said, this is normal. Chickens dumped into a new environment are a lot like people dumped into a new place. They seek a comfort zone as they acclimate.

Space is the best thing you can provide during this period of adjustment. While chickens work out their social relationships, each needing to figure out where they stand with each other chicken, there will likely be ruffled feathers. The best thing to do is allow them to work things out. Interfering actually may prolong the process.

Keep food and water out in the run, but provide more than one feeding and watering station. I like to provide one such station on top an old camp or card table. The vertical space can make a huge difference in keeping the peace and providing a safe space for new comers.