- Jan 31, 2013
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Hello, we are new to raising chickens and have a dilemma. We ordered 32 chickens, 2 roosters and 30 hens, from a hatchery. Because it was cold, we received an additional 11 chickens for warmth. We have raised them all together, and now find ourselves in care of 15 roosters and 22 hens (5 didn't make it). So, it seems that 3 hens were really roosters. Anyway, 2 weeks ago we were given 4 ameracauna hens from a friend that were 2 weeks younger than the rest. Ours were 10 weeks old, and hers were 8. Our red star roosters, which we have 8 of, immediately attacked and terrified the young hens. We separated them, while allowing them to be next to each other, and 2 weeks have passed. We tried introducing them in today again, with the same results, and immediately put them back. They have grown, but are still smaller than the rest. We don't really want to keep them permanently separate, and foresee the roosters having more problems as they grow, but have grown attached to the roosters. But we don't want them to kill the younger ones, only to have to get rid of them too eventually. We don't quite know what to do. Thank you.