PLEASE ADVISE!!!! BEYOND FRUSTRATED!!!!!!

[brood mother]

So the fact she jumped on the chicks back with her feet is normal???

 

[Gingersnap722]

Did you say the chicks were 6-8 weeks old? When ours are that young, we keep them separated from the hens. We always wait until the chicks are about the size of the hens before we put them together.

 

[debid]

So the fact she jumped on the chicks back with her feet is normal???

Maybe. A hen will fake-mount a subordinate sometimes to get her point across that she's in charge. If, however, she tries to hurt the chick with her beak while standing on it, she's decided that chick is food! It's really hard to say without actually seeing it.

 

[keesmom]

I don't introduce chicks that young. I wait until they are closer in size and even then there is some jostling around.

 

[brood mother]

Ok now I don't know what to do! ARG! I will have to ask my husband if she was trying to peck and hurt her while in her. If she was, what do I do???? If she was seeing her as food??

Should I keep trying, or should I put a boundary line back up? And if I do, who should get the smallest area, the hens or the bitties?? And to think I have more chicks inside to blend with the older chicks outside!!!

 

[brood mother]

And did I mention that a couple if the chicks they are messing with are rooster chicks!!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I didn't put my chicks out with the hens until they were close to the same size. Can't remember how old the chicks were but even with them being the same size, there was still a good bit of chasing, pecking, etc.

If they're not the same size, I'd separate them until they were the same size. Make sure there are some "hidey-holes" - escape routes - for the younger ones to use when they are put together. A piece of plywood leaned up against the run or a wall will give a spot that a chicken can hide behind. Out of sight - Out of mind. At least, we hope for a while!

Good luck!