What to do?

[troy4]

as the new chicks I'm planning on getting grow, I will take them out to play. theres just one problem my big hens what if they kill the little hens.

 

[PineShavings]

They won't necessarily kill the little ones. There will definitely will be some pecking to show who is boss. Maybe a fence to keep them separate, but will still allow them to see each other to get used to one another could help.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are risks, I’ll not lie to you, but there are also a lot of misconceptions about this. Most of the time when adult chickens first see chicks, they will be curious. They will usually come over to look at them. That does not mean they are coming over to kill them, just to check them out. The chicks might go toward the adults for the same reason. It’s possible one will try to kill the chicks, practically always a hen hardly ever a rooster. That’s another popular misconception, how dangerous roosters are to chicks. Most hens won’t aggressively attack to kill, but that checking out may involve some pecking, actually part of the pecking order stuff. Even hens that aren’t out to do damage can possibly harm a chick by accident.

The way I read your post, you are talking about taking your chicks out to play, not trying to integrate them. Good for you. That will be good for the chicks. The simple answer to your problem is stay with the chicks and don’t let the adults near enough to them to cause harm. I don’t know what your conditions or set-up is like, but you should be able to figure something out, maybe lock the hens in their run.

 

[TwoCrows]

As they others have posted here, just keep a watch on things and keep them separate from the adult hens until they are large enough to compete. When the chicks are old enough to mix them all together, do it slowly from the other side of a fence or keep them in a caged area within the rest of the flock. Everybody sees, but nobody touches. Keep them this way for a few weeks. Over this time, some of the pecking order and introductions will have been made. Mixing them is generally easier because the birds have all had time to get familiar with each other. Of course keep an eye on everybody for the first week. Should it become bloody, always intervene.

Good luck with your new babies!

 

[aart]

Possible solution....
.....have a play pen with small enough mesh to confine the chicks, everyone can see each other, but not touch.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Possible solution....
.....have a play pen with small enough mesh to confine the chicks, everyone can see each other, but not touch.

This is exactly what I do when my chicks are ready for a little time outside but not yet ready to move to the grow-out pen.

 

[troy4]

I have two small pens, but I want my chicks to be able to come out in the yard. And my big chicks their fencing is just big enough for the chicks to get out of. So is it best to just let everyone out?