wish me luck please!

[chickmomma03]

My big chicks are 5mos tomorrow, my little chicks are 3mos 3wks tomorrow. I have had a hard time integrating them. So, about 3 1/2wks ago I built an outdoor mini coop so the big chicks could see them but not hurt them (the big chicks have always been bigger than the EE were at the ages the little chicks have been, if you can make sense of that). Today we let the littles out of the mini coop and watched for a while how the big chicks did (we've done it several times for small amounts of time). Tonight we put the little chicks on the top shelf opposite side of where the big chicks are and left them in the coop for the night. Please send positive vibes that everything goes smoothly. Overall everything was going well while I stood out there and watched through the window (big chicks stayed on their side, poor littles were huddled in the corner on the other, they've always been skittish) before coming in for the night. I have 2 bigs (my cochins) that still had a little of a stink attitude (grabbed their feathers and caught a chunk, but picked up big and tucked under arm for a bit, calmed them down), but hopefully they'll get over it soon. The littles want nothing to do with engaging in fighting in any way with the bigs either.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi,

Im sure they will be fine. From my experience, its normal for adult hens to put younger, new flock members in their rightful place with a peck here and there. Very soon the young ones will know to keep out of the way of the adults (at least when food is involved). My young ones stay out of the way of the mature hens around the feeders, but they all wonder around the garden and sunbathe together.

Good luck!

 

[chickmomma03]

I know it's normal for a here and there, but they were pecking to the point of bleeding every other time I tried (I think because of how small they are compared to the others it made it even more stressful for me). Then they were trying to gang up on them and multiple were going after one when they saw the first start. 6 going after 1 just isn't a fair "fight". I want them to establish pecking order appropriately, but I don't want them hurting them/killing them. The feather pulling too, pulling chunks, and that's not exaggerating either, chunks of feathers out.

I took pictures tonight so everyone can see size difference. The bigs are 5mos tomorrow and the littles are 3mos 3wks tomorrow. The littles were suppose to be ameraucanas, but I was duped, they're EE. I don't know what they're mixed with, so genetically I suspect they're smaller because of whatever they're mixed with. They've been on the same feed as the big chicks and the big chicks have grown well.

bigs


bigs


bigs


littles


littles


littles


littles

 

[Pork Pie]

Ok, now i understand. I guess i have not had such problems because my chickens free range so the smaller ones / new flock members and can always get out of the way of the others if they feel the need to. I also have two feeding / watering station which seems to help reduce squabbling. When they are in a run, its a different story i appreciate.

From other BYC posts you seem to have followed "best practice" on introducing new chickens to a flock. Maybe it will simply take more time with the mini-coop or possibly there may be other things that you could do - check the "introducing new flock members" threads for other ideas.

I wish you all the best

CT

 

[aart]

You need places for the littles to hide 'out of line of sight' and/or up and away from the aggressors.
Multiple feed/water stations help too.

Same goes for inside coop.
Separate roosts for little and bigs for sure.

A pallet or board leaned up against the run and/or coop wall can do the trick, just make sure you don't create a dead end trap.
A pallet or board on 4 tall concrete blocks.
Stumps, blocks, logs...anything to break up all that open area in what I can see of your run.

 

[N F C]

x2 on aart's comments...give the littles some hiding spots. Maybe you have already but multiple feeders and waterers will help too. And hide the raw, bleeding places on the littles with Blu-Kote to keep those wounds from being picked on.

Good luck!

 

[chickmomma03]

I have 2 separate feeding/watering stations. I also have 2 other watering stations (4 total watering stations, 2 feeding, is that enough for 11 chickens?) in the exercise pen because I don't want them to run out even though I'm home all the time (I'm paranoid like that). I have things for them to hide under/behind too (but I'll need to set something better up I think). Poor things wedged themselves between the coop door and exercise pen door this morning. I had a dr appointment so I couldn't be home, but I got home a little over 45min ago, went straight out there and had to change out water and check feed, so I stood out there for 45mins. The little chicks came out and ran straight to their feed/water containers and I had to stand there and monitor so they could eat and drink. I know it will take time. I think I'm going to have to tuck their feed/water under something for now, maybe that will help too?

I have 2 separate roosts in the coop, a higher shelf and lower shelf, the bigs all hang out on the far side huddled together at night, we had put the littles on the top opposite, but I'll try putting them bottom roost instead tonight then. The bigs didn't mess with them too much, just one ventured over but went back shortly after to the other side.

I'll add in another area for them to tuck away under too.

I only have 2 that have been really aggressive with them, my cochins, the others have backed off more on it since I did the mini coop. My roo actually stood as a block between the littles and the cochins today. I was heading out to the coop this morning to open it and my ex beat me to it. He let all of them out of the coop and monitored them this morning. Apparently we had 1 cochin and 3 of the littles escape, so he had to catch them, which he said was fun. I laughed, he didn't have the exercise pen door pulled closed like he was suppose to so they just went right out it. Trying to catch 4 hens on a 3/4 acre back yard I'm sure was "fun" for him lol.

When it's not too hot/cold I have the window open (right now is perfect weather for it) so I can see and hear everything and be out fast if I need to too. I keep the blind open when I can't have the window open too. The coop sits back in the yard a bit, but when it was planned for building it was intentionally built within clear view of the window.

Ok, so, I need to get a piece of plywood then (I have a few extra of those) and set it up on bricks. If I use bricks should I stack 2 or 3 high then?

I will have to pick up some blu-kote, not sure where to get it here (I don't have too much around me, I'll check tack and feed store, it's small though, and maybe the hardware store might, otherwise I'd have to look into ordering it), but SO far, this time around no blood drawn, just feather pulling.

Sorry that's kind of scattered around. I'm tired, long night, little sleep, and busy morning/afternoon.

 

[N F C]

LOL, I doubt there's hardly a member here that doesn't have a "chase the chicken" story and now you have yours.

With the plywood and bricks, you only have to make it tall enough for them to scoot under it...if you make it too tall, the bigs will get under it too.

We found Blu-Kote at a few places around here and we're pretty limited store-wise too. ACE hardware, TSC, and a couple of the feed stores carry it around here.

It sounds like you have a good handle on things!

 

[chickmomma03]

No ace around, and TSC is about an hour from here. I'll call the tack and feed and check with them, and check with the local hardware, if they don't have it I just can't justify driving an hour to pick it up, so I'd have to see if I could order online.

I have 1 chicken that is close in size, but she's not a threat, so if she scoots under she's not going to bother them.

I thought it was hilarious that he had to chase them. I didn't actually get to see, I was getting ready to leave for the dr, wish I could have caught it on video, would have been hilarious. I AM thankful he was able to catch them though because we have hawks, which is why I can't free range them.

 

[aart]

I wouldn't worry too much about the blu kote....I've found it can attract as much pecking attention as any blood, and the bird it's on will try to preen it off as often as not.
As long as any wound is fairly clean and not attracting pecking, it'll heal up just fine on it's own.

It sounds like you've got a good handle on things, just keep an eye out and change things as necessary.
There's always things to tweak and change as the need arises, especially the first year.
Roo's behavior is a good sign, if any of the hens get too rowdy or mean separate them for half a day or so.