OMG MY CHICKENS ARE MAKING ME SOO MAD I COULD KILL THEM!!!!!

[seminolewind]

Its funny , I was going to post about this tonight. I have 2 coops, one regular, one enclosed tractor with a heat lamp. I had to move the 3 bigger 6 weekers in with the 4-16+ weekers. My 3 JG's acted like vultures (aaaaaaaaaahhh!). My Clarisse, a debeaked BO who laid her first egg Christmas Day, acted like mother hen. (it took time but Clarisse is now my shadow, and chats with me all day).
It was awful, those poor tortured youngsters. So I finally put them in the coop for the rest of the day. Then, I made alot of obstacles, like I put a screen door on its side blocking a corner in the run, with only enough space for the youngsters to get thru. In the coop I fenced in a table, and made 2 small openings so they could get away, a bale of shavings in the middle of the coop, a bucket, etc. so they can actually find shelter on each wall. Then I left them in the coop alone so they could get used to the layout. I am hoping tomorrow will be better. At least they have areas that they can fit thru for safety and the bigger ones can't.
Then I moved my 7 polish 3+ weekers in with the 3-6 week old silkies. They are fine. Right now, they are all layed out like they're suntanning at the beach under the heat lamp. I think they love the 6 inches of shavings. They outgrew an 18inch by 4 foot cage, and now have a 4ft by 7ft area with a loft, LOL.
Well, I guess I'll be watching alot of chicken television tomorrow!

 

[ginasmarans]

I would pen the large hens away from the young ones(if you can) and let the young ones have the run of the coop for a few days. Then I would add the hens one at a time,beginning with the least aggressive. Don't add another hen for several days. See if that works. Good luck.
That's what I did when my boss roo got sick and all the junior roos(bullies,the lot of them) ganged up on him. He is such a good roo and he takes care of the girls. With him out of the picture,anarchy reigned. The young roos didn't care about anything but mating and all of them would gang up on any hen they could catch. So, I penned "Papa" until he was well(just had a cold or something) and then I penned the roos for a couple of weeks. By adding them back one at a time,starting with the least aggressive, "Papa" was able to trounce them and regain his rightful place.

 

[seminolewind]

Today I just let the big girls free range, and the 3 youngsters have the coop and the run. I think I will try adding the least aggressive big girl in with them tomorrow. Sounds good.

 

[jeaucamom]

I am pretty new at this but have had success on several occasions when I have had to introduce new ones, or even injured ones that have been inside recuperating back into their own flock. We just let them free range several days together and when it is bedtime we scoop the outsider up and put them back in the house (or wherever). At first they don't even mingle out in the yard. Then they will start to mingle, but at bedtime the outsider will either wander off or get chased off. (thats when we take them back into the house.) But everytime, after a few days we will find the outsider in the coop with others and no squabbling. Hope that helps.

 

[seminolewind]

That helps, I guess I could let them out with some supervision.