Why Won’t They Get Along?

[Three Little Chickens]

Hello everyone! I’m currently trying to get my younger hens in the same run as the older ones, but the older ones chase the little ones sometimes…. I have 2 Hy-line Browns who are 22 weeks old and 1 3/4 Australorp who is 38 weeks old. Then theres the new guys, 1Plymouth Barred Rock, 1 Light Sussex and 2 Sliver Laced Wyandottes they are all 16 weeks.

The pecking order at the moment is
Hy-line
Hy-line
Light Sussex
3/4 Australorp
2 SLW
Plymouth Barred Rock

They each have their own run at the moment which is separated by wire in the middle. That’s been like that for 2 weeks. The young ones are now the same size, except the Light Sussex who is bigger. When I let them into the yard and out of the run, they stay on either sides and seem pretty fine. Sometimes the Hy-lines charge at the younger ones but not that much. As soon as I put them in the same run, the younger ones don’t eat, and are constantly looking over at the older ones. I’ve tried putting the two calmest ones together then slowly adding more, and they were all good. Till I added the two too hens from each side, they don’t really fight but as soon as they are in, everyone else gets tense and the older ones show more dominance and try to peck the others even if they are just lying on the dirt. Is there anything I can do or do I just have to wait it out? Will they hurt eachother?

 

[sourland]

Give them time. The pecking order is fluid and takes time to get sorted out.

 

[CheerioTheBuffRooster]

This is normal, unfortunately you’ll just have to kind of wait it out.
When I introduced 4 new hens to my flock of 7, they did not get along at all. They’d even fight through the fence. But they couldn’t hurt each other, and one could always back down without being pinned by the dominator, so I left them be and just kept an eye on them.
I would hold one hen at a time in the run with the old ones, seeing how each one reacts to another. For me it took almost 4 weeks until they all tolerated each other.
The reason your new hens aren’t eating when they’re with the old ones is because eating the old chickens’ food can cause the old chickens to feel defensive.
Keep letting them free range together as long as they don’t fight then, as that will allow them to be “combined” but they won’t have to feel defensive of their territory/food.

Good luck to you and your ladies!

 

[Three Little Chickens]

This is normal, unfortunately you’ll just have to kind of wait it out.
When I introduced 4 new hens to my flock of 7, they did not get along at all. They’d even fight through the fence. But they couldn’t hurt each other, and one could always back down without being pinned by the , so I left them be and just kept an eye on them.
I would hold one hen at a time in the run with the old ones, seeing how each one reacts to another. For me it took almost 4 weeks until they all tolerated each other.
The reason your new hens aren’t eating when they’re with the old ones is because eating the old chickens’ food can cause the old chickens to feel defensive.
Keep letting them free range together as long as they don’t fight then, as that will allow them to be “combined” but they won’t have to feel defensive of their territory/food.

Good luck to you and your ladies!

Thank you! It’s my first time doing this and just hearing them shriek if a couple feathers get pulled freaks me out a little. They are starting to moult and so I’m finding feathers everywhere anyway.

 

[CheerioTheBuffRooster]

Thank you! It’s my first time doing this and just hearing them shriek if a couple feathers get pulled freaks me out a little. They are starting to moult and so I’m finding feathers everywhere anyway.

Ah relatable. The new light Brahma I had gotten was in the middle of a hard molt on top of the little squabbles, and she just looked dreadful

 

[Three Little Chickens]

Ah relatable. The new light Brahma I had gotten was in the middle of a hard molt on top of the little squabbles, and she just looked dreadful

Ouch! Yeah I’m going to start a mealworm farm this weekend so they can have some extra protein for moulting season. I was so suprised when saw the cost of dried mealworms!!