Night time flock integration

[JenBoughtHens]

Lol. I have 3 babies in the brooder too!! And eggs in the incubator! It will be ok.

 

[Mamabrinkles]

Girls did well this morning until I learned that I might be a part of the problem (stop laughing). It seems that my dominant hen thinks she owns me. She has always been my most human friendly hen, but this morning when I picked up one of the littles (the one she picks on the most) she got super mad about...she came after me and the little. Jealous much?

 

[Bethel3330]

Lol Oh dear! Good luck there!
Well, our cockerel is gone so we have littles in the big coop with the clan tonight, with their cage still inside for hiding spots if necessary. I think (hope) they'll do fine though. They did awesome all afternoon and evening so... *keeping fingers crossed*

 

[JenBoughtHens]

I let my littles out twice today. The older hens definitely let them know who is higher in the pecking order, but the littles run away and the older hens don't push it.
I think if I keep supervising playtime, they will eventually get acquainted.
Two of the little easter eggers fight the worst actually. Fluffing up at each other, jumping over each other, biting each others neck feathers til they yelp.- do you think they might be boys.. or just neither has submitted to the other yet?

 

[6of6chicks]

Girls did well this morning until I learned that I might be a part of the problem (stop laughing). It seems that my dominant hen thinks she owns me. She has always been my most human friendly hen, but this morning when I picked up one of the littles (the one she picks on the most) she got super mad about...she came after me and the little. Jealous much?

I'm not laughing (well - not at you!) because I learned this the hard way today too! I just reintroduced one of my flock after a week in the dog crate in the house (coccidiosis). I did the night-time integration as well, and for the most part it seemed to be working. That is, until I went in there to check on my "baby" (she's much smaller than the others). I picked her up and petted her as usual. Well, my dominant girl didn't like that one bit and let my baby know it as soon as she was back on the ground!

So I've resigned myself to just having to let my poor girl tough it out. They aren't drawing blood or chasing her - mainly they just yell at her and give her one or two superficial pecks. It's just so hard to see my favorite at the bottom of the pecking order.

Good luck with your flock! I'm totally new at this, so take my advice for what it's worth

- but I'd put them in together at night, let them do their morning routines, and then separate them in the afternoon. It seems like by the afternoon your established flock has gotten bored, looked around, and found something to do in the form of bullying your new ones. Pretty much like kids on a playground. Maybe try the separation, and if it goes okay then gradually up the time they are together. Anyway - that's my 'newbie' two cents. Fingers crossed that things improve!!

 

[JenBoughtHens]

I let the littles out of their pen for most of the day. (Inside the backyard fence) The older flock seemed to mostly put their nose in the air and fly over the fence to free range my property - there was a little chasing going on when they returned for treats but I think it is getting better.

 

[RonP]

I have the same situation happen every year when I add 2 or 3 pullets.

Almost to the day, it takes 3 weeks before the young ones are allowed out.

Keep food and water in the coop and in the run.

Best if the roosts are in separate areas of the coop also.
I set up a temporary roost for just this reason, and keep it for 6 months.
By then the pecking order is well established.

It's a chicken thing...

 

[Mamabrinkles]

Alrighty then. I have been putting the littles in the coop to roost with the big girls after dark every night for I think five nights now. Then a couple of hours after they wake up I have been separating the littles back into their area. Today was the first day I didn't separate them and no one seemed to notice! Who hoooo! The littles still spent most of their day in their area, but with the door open and they went to the main pen several times. I have also stayed away from them and haven't given any treats, in efforts to keep everyone calm. So I'd say it has been a successful effort, I couldn't be happier to see my girls altogether!

One odd thing though is every morning, one of the littles, my silver polish, Josefina, flys on top of the coop (which is enclosed in the aviary) and makes all kinds of racket. Doesn't sound like a roo, It's just the standard bock bock bock beGOOOOOCK, but it is one more reasons for me to question her femininity.