Should I allow it?

[zDoc]

Do to my mother-in-laws arrival on Thursday, I had to move my two 4 week old EE's to the coop with the fifteen 6.5 week old golden buffs. Of course the buffs are pecking occasionally on the EE's, but my concern is the EE's are terrified of them and find places to hide to get away from them. I've been covering the places they go into so they can't go back there. Should I allow them to hide from the larger hens or should I force them to stay in sight?
Also since they are 2.5 weeks younger, how long until they are approximately the same size?

 

[Marie1234]

give them a place to hide. Make sure there is more than one place to get food and water too, to reduce competition and aggression. Thought you were going to ask if you should allow the mother-in-law to stay. lol

 

[bakerjw]

I am new to chickens but when introducing I'd put a chicken wire barrier between them for a few days to allow everyone to get used to everyone else.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I would section off a place for the younger birds, with food/water so the older ones cannot pick on them. Picked on chicks do not eat/drink as well as they should. If a sectioned off place means they cannot get outside, just make sure the area is large enough for them to run around in.

 

[lottastuff9]

Thought you were going to ask if you should allow the mother-in-law to stay. lol

 

[zDoc]

When I very first put them out there they were in a cage but they wanted to chum around with the big girls, so they squeezed out a little hole and got out. Much to their surprise they were not welcome. Today while I'm at work the buffs are locked outside in the run with food and water so the the EE's have the run of the coop. Do you think they will be closer in size in 3 weeks?

 

[zDoc]

Quote:
The room where my mother-in-law will be staying is right next to where the brooder was.

(Have to keep peace with the wife)

 

[MotherJean]

I suggest you search the forum for threads on "flock integration." Size is a factor, certainly, but there's often a short period of discontent and aggression whenever you try to integrate new chickens into an established flock, even when all are adults. Personally, I'd try to figure out some sort of interim arrangement for the 4 w.o. chicks while my "dear" MIL was visiting, to give myself a little time to research ideas and formulate a plan to integrate that would work for my particular setup. Is there a corner of a garage or a garden shed - anything - where you can set up a temporary brooder pen out of sight/smell of MIL?

 

[zDoc]

I don't have a garage, but I do have a shed. The shed doesn't have a light, but they have to get to know each other eventually right? If I move them a part from each other, will I be stopping any progress I've made (if any)?

 

[MotherJean]

Quote:
Didn't sound like much progress had been made, but maybe I'm misunderstanding your post. If your intention is to keep the Buffs outside in the run and the EEs locked in the coop, then there's really no problem - but that really isn't doing anything to integrate the flock, either. They really need to be within view of one another, separated by wire so that the older ones can't peck the chicks and prevent them from getting to feed and water. Are your Buffs old enough and your NM weather fair enough for them to remain in the run 24/7? If so, then I'd do that until you can come up with a plan for integration.