will they ever get along????

[twister]

I have 3 hens/1 roo... all 1 yr old.

Recently, I purchased 3 more pullets about 18-20 weeks old. after quarentine for 30 days, in a pen/coop where the 'oldies' could see but not touch... and leaving the light on in the coop one hr before dark ( they went to roost with the 'old' flock)...all is fine, but in the mornings/afternoons the old chickens will not have anything to do with the new pullets. Thankfully, they are not fighting. They will not intermingle or become friendly either. Occasionally the roo will intermingle but then decides to go back to the older hens. Will they ever accept my new birds? Is there anything I can do to foster friendly relationships?

 

[Ravenseye]

In my very limited experience, birds tend to stay together in groups that they grew up with. They may mingle while foraging and especially while eating, but when they wander about they'll lean towards staying close to their original "friends". I have 8 chickens (all hens) and they are really four groups of two. If I were to walk out to the pen and snap a picture when they were all outside, I'll bet that...for the most part....they would be sort of paired together, just like when they came home. Loosely paired...but still more or less together.

 

[Big Chicken Little]

It will take time for them to accept the new birds. The good part is they are not fighting. Make sure that there is plenty of water and food as an empty feeder might evoke fighting. I introduced 6 new birds to the flock this year and one bird they did not like so i had to remove her before the flock killed her. I do not know what they did no like about her as she was sweet. Keep your eye on them.

 

[newchicksnducks]

My girls also separate into groups. I have 3 ages (22 weeks, 17 weeks, and 14 weeks) Not only do they mostly hang out in age groups, I also have them hanging together in breed groups...How does the Black Australorp know it's not related to the black Jersey? Does the Speckled Sussex really look that much different from the GLW? Prejudice Chickens!!

As long as they don't fight, I think it's fine. And they will intermingle once in a while. One or two will cross age/breed barriers and be ok, untill one of the older ones decides a younger one really should not have equal time to the garden scraps!