Picking On the new Guy.. (WHY?? Do they)

[thereverend]

I have 7 older ladies, 6 8 week old chicks i think 4 are roos and 2 are girls not sure yet.
and 1 large 2 year old roo.. I put the 8 week olds in with the 7 older ladies and the girls
the older ones keep picking and pecking on then. Every time one goes near them the older ladies
chase the 8 week now 9 week olds around peck at them and pick on them. My question is this
will this stop? as they get older. I mean they wont even let them in the coop sometimes..
they chase them out. please let me know..

 

[krudolph]

I think they're establishing pecking order. I have a flock of 8 hens, 1 rooster, and am in the process of adding 3 RIR (about 10 wks old). I've had the younger birds enclosed in a small pen within the run for about 10 days or so, just so everyone gets used to each other (from your picture I'm guessing you had yours in a small enclosure too?) Yesterday I let them out and there was some agitation. Left the pen inside the run for them to escape to if necessary. Last night they did not follow the flock into the coop. So today I put them in the coop so they could see the feed and water. They haven't come outside into the run since...pretty timid. Went to check on them at dusk...all the big girls are roosting in the coop and the three youngsters are keeping to themselves. I think it will just take some time. But I intend, and I think you should too, to keep a close eye on everyone. Am hoping they will establish their place in the flock with not too much trouble. You may see more aggression as the roos mature (one of my RIRs is a roo, too...am waiting to see how he does with the older roo). Good luck.

 

[Doodle_Doo]

yes their are just establishing domince..pecking order..

my phoenix hens would do that to my rir hens at a young age
but it stoped once they got it and because they saw the rir girls just
kept growing and towered over them

its normal as long as no one gets really injured