Vicious gang

[Matrajeous]

I am trying to integrate new chicks into my previously existing flock for the first time. The chicks were brought home on March 11th so are about 2 months old. I have a section of my run and that goes under the hen house/coup that is a covered space so I placed a hardware cloth divider and moved the chicks outside to that section so the chickens could all see each other but not physically interact and have done that now for about 2 weeks. I attempted to do a slow introduction by making a small doorway that the chicks could come and go from but the adult hens couldn’t fit through. Each time the chicks made an attempt to leave their area they were swarmed by all 7 adult hens like a starved gang seeing food for the first time trying to kill it. The adult hens have even charged the small doorway ramming their head through to in an attempt to get to the younger chicks and peck/pluck out feathers. So I blocked off the door way to keep them separate again. Cause the chicks would no longer go near the small door. So I have since blocked the opening to completely divide them again.
My adult hens are a mixed flock of isa browns and golden comets. The new chicks are a wide variety of (lavender Orpington, Americauna, prairie blue bell, star light green egger, olive egger, silver grey dorking, Ancona, and 2 black copper marans) I have come to realize I believe two of the 9 “pullets” are actually roosters 1 for sure (silver dorking) the other I’m still on the fence because of feather shape in my prairie blue bell but I can’t tell if is rooster development or nipped tail feathers for that one. The run itself is 10ft by 10ft at the moment for the adult 7, I will be expanding and creating chunnels for them to roam more/ or tractors to move them around the yard for enrichment.
Is there something I’m doing wrong? Too soon? Can try differently? Or are my original flock hens just the mean girls tearing everyone else apart and they will never co-mingle? Any ideas are welcome

 

[Battlepants]

Something that might be worth trying is to knock the bullys down the pecking order a bit. I would keep your current setup as it is, but take some of the more aggressive hens away from the flock entirely for a couple days. After a few days of cooling off (and hopefully your littles getting brave enough to integrate in with your bigs), re-introduce your bully hens into the flock one at a time (1 per day). HOPEFULLY, this shakes up the pecking order enough that the little ones can slip right in unnoticed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

With chick sized openings, best to have at least 2 openings to prevent this type of situation (so if hens guard one, chicks can use the other).

How have the hens reacted during the see but don't touch period? Ideally I want the hens to be ignoring them as they walk by, before I let the chicks out to mingle. And just to check, the chicks have been in the see but don't touch area for 2 weeks, 24/7, correct? Not just a couple hours a day?

Also how much clutter do you have in your run?

 

[Matrajeous]

Currently there is only 1 opening, the adult chickens are not ignoring them while they are in the see not touch area. They tend to try and peck at them through the hardware cloth. Yes the chicks have been in the see not touch area 24/7 now for over two weeks. There is a bunch of branches arranged in the run to make practically tree limb jungle gyms. But I am going to place over turned boxes with holes and such since the adults have been so aggressive.

Another thought I had was the use of plexiglass mirrors. I use them for aggressive fish in saltwater fish tanks when introducing new fish. The aggressors are so busy with their own reflections they give the new comers time to adjust and settle in. would it also help disperse the tension in chickens?

 

[rosemarythyme]

A little surprised that your adult chickens are so fixated on the chicks after 2 weeks of see but don't touch, usually they are at first, then after a while, the chicks are no different than a leaf in the wind.

The overturned boxes or any other clutter you can add should help. Just make sure that any clutter/safe areas you add, that the items all have at least 2 exit points (i.e. with an overturned box, there should be at least 2 openings cut in, or with a solid item like a plant pot, it shouldn't be placed flush against a wall) so that a chick can't get cornered.

Not sure if mirrors would help or make any difference, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try.

 

[Mrs. K]

Not sure of your space, but try putting the chickens where your chicks are, and the chicks where your hens are. This sounds crazy, but chickens are very territorial, and so are chicks. Right now, the chickens have taught the chicks that this is our area, you are not allowed.

But by putting the chicks in that area, and letting them explore and get established without getting chased for their lives can really help. I swear, the chickens seeing the chicks in there, also will help.

If you are short of space, you can lock your hens out of the coop/run late in the morning, and let the chicks in the main space. Do this for a couple of days, letting the hens in as close to dark as you can.

Mrs K

 

[Matrajeous]

We had a tragedy a young one got into the big pen by herself and the adults killed her basically making her look like a vulture by the time they were done. I’m going to have to isolate them all one by one and I think shake up the entire flock and re-introduce them All one by one

 

[Battlepants]

We had a tragedy a young one got into the big pen by herself and the adults killed her basically making her look like a vulture by the time they were done. I’m going to have to isolate them all one by one and I think shake up the entire flock and re-introduce them All one by one

Sorry to hear about the loss there. Yea, shaking up the pecking order through temporary isolation may be a good call.

If you can remove all your big ones for a few days and let the little ones take over the area entirely, then re-introduce the bigs one per day, that just might get things in line. If anything, the little ones should gang up on the singular big ones, which should cause no damage other than humiliating them.

If you have a particularly violent big one or ones, you may want to consider permanent removal in terms of freezer camp or rehoming.