Speeding up integration?

[FattySmough]

Hello!

I am currently in the process of integrating four pullets and one cockerel into my flock of five hens. Three of the hens aren't very mean, but the other two always chase away or peck the little ones. The youngsters always run away from the hens. I want them to all be integrated soon because I think my cockerel should have some adult hens for company as he matures. He has already been crowing for a few weeks so I imagine he will be trying to start mating within the near future.

The main way I have been trying to integrate is letting them all free range together. I have been at it for close to two weeks and while things are getting a bit better they still don't get along too well. The little ones still avoid the big girls. Any way I can speed up this process?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! The younger ones will be treated better once they start to lay, however, they will still be bullied.

 

[FattySmough]

I see, so there isn't a way to get them nicer sooner? I would just move them into the same coop but I don't want my polish pullets to get hurt.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I haven't figured out a way, chicken pecking order is very precise.

Can they see each other when they're in at night?

 

[aart]

Any way I can speed up this process?

so there isn't a way to get them nicer sooner?

No, not really.
You need to understand chicken society.

How old, in weeks or months, are the youngsters?
How long have you had them?
Do they live 24/7 next to but separated from the older birds?
How big in feet by feet are your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help here.


Here's some tips about....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Ridgerunner]

The youngsters always run away from the hens. I want them to all be integrated soon because I think my cockerel should have some adult hens for company as he matures. Any way I can speed up this process?

Answering Aart's questions could help us give specific suggestions for your situation, but I think the main thing for you is to change your perceptions of what integration looks like at that age, whatever age that is. My goal with integration is that no one gets hurt. That's it, nothing more complicated. It sounds like you may be there. All that buddy buddy comradery can come later when they all mature. Until then I just don't want anyone to get hurt.

When they are immature the more mature outrank them and are often quick to enforce those pecking order rights, especially if the young invade their personal space. It usually doesn't take the young long to learn to avoid the older ones. It's possible you can get a mature chicken, usually a hen, that is an absolute brute toward the young and search them out to do harm, but usually if they have enough space to avoid the adults things are pretty peaceful. A bigger problem may be where they sleep. If those quarters are tight it can be rough when they settle down for the night or if they are left locked in tight quarters in the morning before you let them out.

Once the young mature enough they will merge into one flock, though they often like to hang with their buddies they grew up with. But they can eat, sleep, and hang together as one group. The best thing you can do in my opinion is to give them as much room as you can during the day and night.

Different things can happen between your cockerel and the mature hens as he matures. A lot of that depends on the older hens' and his personalities. The girls have a lot to say in how this develops. It's possible his attention will go to the pullets first, at least until he matures to the point he's not afraid of the hens. He may turn his attention to the older hens and some or at least one hen beats the crap out of him. That's usually the dominant hen but sometimes others join in. They may run from him. Sometimes he lets them go when they run, sometimes he chases them down and forces them. Some hens may submit to him, some don't. Often the dominant hen will knock him off as he is trying to mate a willing hen.

Lots of different things can happen. Sometimes, with my flock I'd say usually, the cockerel maturing into a rooster and taking over the flock is pretty peaceful, whether it is pullets his own age or involves mature hens. The pullets are likely to be more violent than the hens, they are slower to mature than the cockerel and just don't want to submit to him. But occasionally it can get really vicious, especially if you have a dominant hen that wants to stay dominant and the cockerel doesn't have a strong personality or he really wants to force the pullets. To paraphrase what someone on here once said, watching juveniles, especially cockerels, go through puberty is often not for the faint of heart. It can be really easy but I think it is a good idea to have a place you can isolate a bird pretty quickly if the need arises. You never know when you might need it.

 

[FattySmough]

How old, in weeks or months, are the youngsters?

Sorry guys, I completely forgot to mention their age. 2 of the pullets are 14 weeks old, and the other 2 pullets and cockerel are 15 weeks old. I have had them since they were a day old.

Do they live 24/7 next to but separated from the older birds?

As soon as the little ones were moved outside they had a small run to explore while the hens free ranged. The hens could go up to the run and check out the youngsters, be by them, and do whatever they want without touching them.

How big in feet by feet are your coop and run?

There is about 35 square feet on the inside of the adult coop with about 5-8 square feet taken up by nest boxes and other things. about 25-30 square feet of unoccupied ground space.

I generally my chickens out into the yard half an hour to an hour after sunrise, so the birds would have to spend up to an hour an a half confined together in the morning. The rest of the day they get to free range in the yard. The past couple of weeks the young birds have gotten to free range all day as well. They have had so much time to see each other growing up that the hens aren't highly aggressive or vicious, save for the 2 lowest on the pecking order who always chase or peck the little ones.

Things are already much better than they were when the little birds started free ranging two weeks ago, but not good enough for me to be comfortable with full integration. I'll post some pictures of the inside of the coop. Don't mind all the poop, I will clean it soon!

 

[FattySmough]

My goal with integration is that no one gets hurt. That's it, nothing more complicated. It sounds like you may be there. All that buddy buddy comradery can come later when they all mature. Until then I just don't want anyone to get hurt.

I totally agree. They may be just chickens but I still care for them very much, I don't want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily.