PoppasGrill
Songster
Have had our 8 week old pullets on look-don’t touch for about 3 weeks now.
Tried opening the coop to let them mingle a bit on Saterday. A couple of them ventured out and got less than 3’ from the door when a hen came running from the other side of the coop and attacked.
They ran back in the small coop and the hen started going around the outside squawking and pecking at the wire. We chased her away and stood where we could watch her. After a few minutes a few of the pullets started out and a different hen went after them, one pullet panicked and ran around the coop only to be attacked by a third hen, a bantam that was smaller than her. Was able to get the pullet wrangled back into the small coop after an awkward chase. I’m too old and inflexible to be running and ducking under roosting bars.
There has always been bully hens for every integration but never this violent/aggresive. And it’s different breeds trying to hurt the pullets, usually it’s the barred rock hens or leghorns when there is feed around.
Going to try again next weekend and might move them to a different coop that has younger 14-15 week olds in it.
Tried opening the coop to let them mingle a bit on Saterday. A couple of them ventured out and got less than 3’ from the door when a hen came running from the other side of the coop and attacked.
They ran back in the small coop and the hen started going around the outside squawking and pecking at the wire. We chased her away and stood where we could watch her. After a few minutes a few of the pullets started out and a different hen went after them, one pullet panicked and ran around the coop only to be attacked by a third hen, a bantam that was smaller than her. Was able to get the pullet wrangled back into the small coop after an awkward chase. I’m too old and inflexible to be running and ducking under roosting bars.
There has always been bully hens for every integration but never this violent/aggresive. And it’s different breeds trying to hurt the pullets, usually it’s the barred rock hens or leghorns when there is feed around.
Going to try again next weekend and might move them to a different coop that has younger 14-15 week olds in it.
