placed 11 week old in w/19 week olds. i was shocked!!

[stevin]

so yesterday i placed my (3)11 week old Light Sussex pullets into the run with my (13)19 week old RIR pullets and roos.
i was expexting the RIR's to harrass the Lt Sussex but the absolute opposite happened!! the Lt Sussex chased and pecked my RIR's which are easily 2-3 time larger than them. the RIR's were running scared like a bunch of(you guessed it) chickens... is this normal? i would have expected to run in there to save the Lt Sussex pullets if things got out of hand. is it because the RIR's aren't used to seeing a different colored bird? or do the Lt Sussex just have that kind of temperment?
after 30 mins or so things calmed down but the RIR's kept their distance, even the roosters. i did see one rooster stomp his foot several times and then the Lt Sussex went right after him.... i guess he can talk the talk but can't walk the walk.
after an hour i removed the Lt Sussex pullets and placed them back into their grow out pen. should i continue doing this type of introduction several times till it gets to the point where there is no more bullying or chasing going on? or am i better off keeping them in there for a longer period of time or even full time?

thanx,
steve

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
If it ain't broke, why fix it? I'd leave them in there to fend for themselves; nobody's being hurt.

 

[drdoolittle]

That's kind of funny.

I think it's great that it happened that way instead of what you were expecting------at least you don't have to take the Sussex back out and build them a pen oif their own-----which is what I would be tempted to do if the RIRs had gone after them.LOL I would have loved to see the roo stomping his feet at them and then his surprise when they went after him!

 

[sourland]

Joebryant is right on the money. The little guys won't hurt the big guys, and eventually everything will settle down. If it were the other way around, it would be a real problem.