This is not going very well...any ideas?

[WhetzelMomma]

My BR started out looking a little smaller than the Golden SL... and they were just SO attracted to picking at the GSL!! I think you're doing a great job by keeping them all together and yet separate. The wire is an EXCELLENT way to keep them used to each other. Keep it up!! Maybe the next time you try, you could put them together after they go to "bed" for the night... I hear that waking up together seems to help them get a long. On the other hand, if they don't, you won't be there to help. Don't give up though!! EVENTUALLY, things will work out.

 

[4 luv of eggs]

Last week we were trying to introduce our 8 and 5 week olds. The littler girls were in a dog crate with food and water inside the coop. The temp in the coop got dangerously high last Sunday so we had to step things up and let them out so they could get some fresh cooler air.

Well the bigger girls immediately attacked them and I felt so bad. There was much feather pulling and pecking, mostly on the brown leghorns. One of them tried to squeeze through the chain link fence of the run. The main culprit was my favorite big girl, my SLW.

One week later and everyone is still ok. The nastiness is still going on but no one has gotten hurt. I make sure everyone gets treats and things seem to be easing. They have to get used to each other eventually. I just pity my next group of 6. It will be 12 against 6 then.

 

[NYRIR]

Man, I know I'm in for it too. I have 15 8 week olds.I have 13 in the bator and 6 due around the 14th from a hatchery.What did I do to myself?

I'm gonna have fences everywhere!! I also have 3 mallards that turned out to be all males so I ordered 3 female Cayugas.They should be here in about 3 weeks!!

 

[Yardbirds286]

It looks like we are all in the same boat! I was supposed to get 3 Australorps but had problems with going through our local feed store so I just cancelled my order. Now that I am going through this I am strongly considering just sticking with the 5 I have. Problem is I have more room in the coop, and a nagging voice in my head saying " get more chicks"

But, watching those poor little ones get attacked made my stomach hurt. Man, what to do???

 

[NYRIR]

GET MORE CHICKS of course!

 

[StormyMoon]

My BR's attack my ducks and the ducks are larger than the chicks they just like being bossy I guess

 

[NYRIR]

At first,my chicks pecked my ducks...then the ducks outgrew the chicks...now they pick on the chicks...lol....at least until the RIR's get full grown

 

[silkymom]

i do the , wake up together thing with new birds, after QT, it does work, i always watch when i let them out and wake them up, when your sizes are closer, {wont take long} i would try it, good luck,
juliet

 

[Yardbirds286]

I am beginning to wonder if this is a BR "thing"? To be bossy as a chick I mean. It just made me feel like a bad chicky mom. The little ones were looking at me like, "why did you do this to us"? I know that they will have to work out a pecking order, but I think that's going to wait until they are closer in size. Will the BR slow in growth a bit at some point? The BO seem to be taking a bit longer to reach the same size. Although they are all much bigger than the cotton balls with feet they once were. I will try putting them together at night, but I have a feeling I will be dog tired the next morning. Either way, I was thinking about getting one or two GLW from a local breeder, now I have some concerns. The breeder has pullets 2 weeks old, same as my BO's. Hmmmm

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I think you'll be fine getting the new GLW. Try them with the BR, and if they don't work on that side, put them with the smaller chicks. I bet you'll have success on one side or the other!! lol