Putting the little ones in with the big ones, questions about bantams...

[AmberRose23]

Okay, so I have 1 golden comet, 1 barred rock, 1 RIR and an ISA brown all under four months with a frizzle cochin and they are all finally on the same page. I have had the GC and the rooster for a couple months and just added the 3 month old pullets a few weeks ago and everyone seems to be getting along. The thing is is that I have 4 baby roos ( 1 EE, 1 JG, 2 SLW) that are ready for the coop as well as some 2 bantams and self blue d'uccle roo. During the day when everyone is free ranging the new hens do not like the little roos and bantams. If they even try to eat when they are eating they get a hard peck and they scream. The bantams get it the same. I am worried about putting them all in the same coop together. I am planning on thinning out the roo herd but I have fallen head over heels for the d'uccle Mr. Beefy and the little bantam roo, so I have to make it work. I plan on trying to keep the Jersey Giant, my frizzle, the bantam and d'uccle. Is this smart, am I crazy? Will the new hens beat the heck out of them? Should I make them their own space in there? Or will they figure it out? I need some major advice.

 

[DobieLover]

You are not going to be able to keep all those boys in the same coop with the main flock with a resident male. If you insist on keeping them, they will need their own coop and their own space.
Perhaps start a bachelor pen.

 

[Ridgerunner]

During the day when everyone is free ranging the new hens do not like the little roos and bantams. If they even try to eat when they are eating they get a hard peck and they scream. The bantams get it the same.

To make it work, think along these terms. More mature chickens outrank less mature chickens in the pecking order. If the less mature invade the others' personal space they are likely to get pecked. It usually doesn't take long for the younger to learn to avoid the older. Sometimes the more mature bully the young away from food or water. Does this sound like what you are seeing?

I am worried about putting them all in the same coop together.

I'm not sure where they are all sleeping now or what your coop looks like. The bigger the better. I manage this in two different ways but only one would apply to you as you did not raise the chicks in the coop. For the chicks in my grow-out coop I let them do a "see but don't touch" (can see each other across a wire fence) for a week or more, then I turn them loose. Mine technically don't free range since there are fences but I have over 3.000 square feet available to them so it is pretty close to your free ranging. They quickly learn to form two separate flocks. The younger avoid the older and they sleep separately at night. I have several food and water stations scattered around so they can eat and drink without being bullied off. Each group is different. Sometimes they intermingle more than others but usually the younger just avoid the older ones.

After they have proven to me that they can coexist without harming each other (usually around 1 month of roaming together) I move the younger into my main coop. The way my logistics work out that's usually around 12 weeks of age but I have had some groups merge sooner. I wait until it is dark and lock the younger in the main coop with the adults, then am down there as they are waking up to make sure that everything is going OK. I have a fairly large coop (8' x 12') and places the younger can get away from the older. I don't worry where they sleep as long as it's not my nests and is predator safe. I do this so often that I put up a juvenile roost separated from the main roosts by a few feet, lower than the main roosts and higher than my nests. I do not try to force mine to sleep on the roosts with the older ones, they will take care of that when they all mature. I'm set up for this so it works pretty well.

I am planning on thinning out the roo herd

Excellent idea.

I have fallen head over heels for the d'uccle Mr. Beefy and the little bantam roo, so I have to make it work.

Since yours free range two males might work, it does for many people. They need to get through puberty which can sometimes be pretty rough, both between the boys and sometimes on the girls. You may or may not need two separate coops for them, traction varies on that. I'd have a way to immediately separate them if necessary, the need may come up very quickly.

 

[AmberRose23]

To make it work, think along these terms. More mature chickens outrank less mature chickens in the pecking order. If the less mature invade the others' personal space they are likely to get pecked. It usually doesn't take long for the younger to learn to avoid the older. Sometimes the more mature bully the young away from food or water. Does this sound like what you are seeing?


I'm not sure where they are all sleeping now or what your coop looks like. The bigger the better. I manage this in two different ways but only one would apply to you as you did not raise the chicks in the coop. For the chicks in my grow-out coop I let them do a "see but don't touch" (can see each other across a wire fence) for a week or more, then I turn them loose. Mine technically don't free range since there are fences but I have over 3.000 square feet available to them so it is pretty close to your free ranging. They quickly learn to form two separate flocks. The younger avoid the older and they sleep separately at night. I have several food and water stations scattered around so they can eat and drink without being bullied off. Each group is different. Sometimes they intermingle more than others but usually the younger just avoid the older ones.

After they have proven to me that they can coexist without harming each other (usually around 1 month of roaming together) I move the younger into my main coop. The way my logistics work out that's usually around 12 weeks of age but I have had some groups merge sooner. I wait until it is dark and lock the younger in the main coop with the adults, then am down there as they are waking up to make sure that everything is going OK. I have a fairly large coop (8' x 12') and places the younger can get away from the older. I don't worry where they sleep as long as it's not my nests and is predator safe. I do this so often that I put up a juvenile roost separated from the main roosts by a few feet, lower than the main roosts and higher than my nests. I do not try to force mine to sleep on the roosts with the older ones, they will take care of that when they all mature. I'm set up for this so it works pretty well.


Excellent idea.


Since yours free range two males might work, it does for many people. They need to get through puberty which can sometimes be pretty rough, both between the boys and sometimes on the girls. You may or may not need two separate coops for them, traction varies on that. I'd have a way to immediately separate them if necessary, the need may come up very quickly.

The little ones are around 8 weeks I think. I got them in an emergency situation where the person couldn’t care for them anymore. My coop is probably 8x8 so not small but very tall. The babies all sleep in the house right now, the bantams in one box the bigger Roos in another. Should I get rid of the Roos sooner than later? They get horribly upset when separated. The new hens have only been seeing the new chicks for about a week so maybe they have been mean to them for that reason. If they see them longer will they accept them more? The older ones just don’t want them close to their food when eating.They don’t necessarily go after them, they just don’t like them around them. I keep different feeding stations set up in 3 separate places so they always have access to food. Then I also feed the babies when they come back in at night so they always are fed. They are also just piggies in general. I was thinking of making a smaller pen within the coop for them so they have a place to go when it’s time for bed. That might work. I am going to see how that will go with all these roosters lol. 3 need to go. Maybe 4. I really like the JG. He’s such a gangly thing. Handsome boy. Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Should I get rid of the Roos sooner than later?

If you are going to eat them you might consider a bachelor pen so you can grow them. But if you are selling or giving them away I'd do it sooner than later. You won't have to buy feed or clean up after them or take care of them. You are less likely to become emotionally attached even more than you may be now.

The new hens have only been seeing the new chicks for about a week so maybe they have been mean to them for that reason.

From what I've read they are not being mean to them, they are just teaching them to not invade the personal space of their betters. How would a group of 16 year old girls at the mall treat a bunch of 13 year old girls that were strangers and tried to invade their personal space? It would probably not be pretty. You may have to wait until the pullets start to lay for that to change.