Pecking Order

[StarLover21]

I'm so so so so so so so worried! Tonight I took out the wire barrier in the sleeping-only-coop that seperated my 2 13 week old Black Star chicks and one 25 week old White Leghorn (she's actually a bit smaller than they are). My other two Red Sex Link hens are NASTY BULLIES! Good thing we're vegetarians...

. No, they're actually really sweet, just not to other chickens (they've been alone together for about 5 years). They all roosted. One of the hens, Redtail, who was closest to the babies on the roost, would lean over and peck Asha hard (SQUACK!). Then Sage (SQUACK), then Buckbeak (almost falling off the roost in the process. SQUACK!). Then she would stop, looking satisfied with herself, and do it again.

. So I locked her in the Nesting Box. Luna, my other hen, didn't seem to notice the babies. She's known to be nasty though. (As soon as I locked Redtail in the nesting box, Luna got off the roost and slept next to her, so sweet). Do you think they will be okay?

The other hens are muck bigger...I'm going to let them out at 6 this morning. What do you think? Am I doing it okay?

 

[StarLover21]

Anybody? It went Semi Okay last night, I just want to know if I'm doing the right thing!

 

[StarLover21]

Please?

 

[gritsar]

Sounds like you are doing fine. My best advice? So long as nobody is drawing blood, let them work it out. Pecking and fussing is normal; viciously attacking is not.

 

[chicmom]

Well, just to share what I do.....I don't introduce newbies into the flock until they are the same size (or almost the same size) as the adults. I like to be extra safe. The larger hens truly can beat the snot out of a younger chick, and even kill them.

First, I will put them together in the coop, but with a barrier between so they can see eachother, but not touch eachother. My hen house is pretty big though, so I have two rooms with hardware cloth between....

After a week, I'll let them free range together, which is very helpful because the younger ones can get away from the bullies. Then, after about another week, I just put them all in the came room in the coop.

There is always a little bit of squabbling and fighting....That goes without saying, but mine seem to adjust pretty quickly to the integration if I handle it in this manner.

Good luck and I hope everything works out fine for you,
Sharon

 

[Chicken Man Dan]

I'm having issues with some newcomers right now myself. We have two red sex links that are picking on the new barred rock. Now the other new bird (columbian rock) is also picking on the barred rock. I just found this article here on BYC: Adding New Chickens to Your Flock . Its put my mind at ease and given me some good ideas to help things settle down. Hope yours are alright in the end.