Well...jeez....am I doing this right??

[azygous]

Report back as things develop. We're always up for high comedy.

 

[Jaxdrisc]

Will do! We had a good bout today....not as nasty and more acceptance from the big ones! Still a llloooonnnngggggg way to go!!

 

[Jaxdrisc]

Update: Last night the littles spent their first night in the big girl coop. Waited until deep dusk, and placed them on the roost bar on the opposite end of the side the bigs like. Going to sleep was fine. I have a hen cam in the coop and could see that at about 6 a.m. when the littles jumped off the roost bar, a few of the bigs pecked at them. Nothing too violent. Opened the door at 6:30 and that was when the littles could eat.
Bigs are still bullying the littles, the 2 lowest on the totem pole are the worst. It is not continuos but nasty pecking has occurred all day long. They try to corner them, then peck away. The littles are able to get away and no blood shed. But, the bigs will trap the littles in their coop/panic room....2 on one side, 2 on the other. The bigs try to keep them confined to small spaces. Before I moved the mini run fencing, the bigs were forcing them to stay inside those spaces (mini coop and run). The littles never seemed to be able to get out into the bigger space. Today, I shifted some things while all were free ranging, leaving escape routes, but allowing more access to the bigger run. On that front, it was successful. However, I'm not sure I am seeing an improvement in the older ones accepting the smaller ones. Is this normal??? Suggestions?? Boy, the bigs are a tight group!

 

[aart]

Oh it will take weeks, they may never all be good buddies, but the hens will accept the pullets more once they start to lay.

 

[Jaxdrisc]

Phew! And here I thought I had one flock that was totally rejecting the other! There is no way I can have 2 coops!! Now if I can just get the littles to go into the big girl coop at night without the bigs chasing them out! They are scared to go in by themselves so roost out on other objects. Actually, they hated going into their own coop...had to go every night and put them on the bar. We're keeping at it!