Youngsters Bullied Viciously

[Goldendazy]

So I've run into quite the dilemma and havenever run into this problem.
I have two separate new groups of chickens. The first group are Americunas and Sweedish Flower chickens that are 3 months old. There were 7 of them now there are 5 because it turned out I had 3 roos in the bunch.
The second new group are Welsummers all pullets that are 2 and a half months old. There are 4 of them.
I also have a flock of 14 ranging in age from 1 to 6 years old.
My delima is this the first new group of chickens are viciously mean to the second new group.
I have not put them all in the same pen yet for fear they will kill the little Welsummers.
This when I'm trying to introduce them to free ranging with supervision. They jump on them and attack to where I have to get them off of them then try to re attack. I have tried three times with days in between in hopes this would stop. The poor little things are so scared.
All of the rest of the flock are perfectly fine with them.
I have never ran into this when introducing new chickens. There's always the little scuffle but NOTHING like this.
Thanks for any pointers.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

This year is the first time I'm trying to combine 2 separate age groups, mine are only a week and a half apart, but some of the older ones who are 5 weeks peck the younger ones a lot, and I need to separate them out for most of the day. It appears to be normal and is why a single age group is best when raising chicks. You may have to keep at it and expect it to take much longer than a simple chicks to adults integration.

 

[Goldendazy]

Thanks. I do hope it works out. This is also the first time I've tried mixing two age groups I don't think I'll do it again. Poor things.

 

[aart]

Were/are the 2 chick groups in separate but adjacent pens,
so they could/can get used to each other for a few weeks?

Feed treats(a bit of scratch grains) spread along that separation line,
so they get used to eating close to each other.

Knowing more about when you got them all, how they have been housed, and what your setup is(pics) and might allow for some chicken juggling would garner more specific solution suggestions.

I've had both crazy chaotic chick group integrations... and easy as pie ones.
Can depend on setup and/or bird demeanor.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

The only problem I have had is my Blue Americanas became broody and hatched some chicks. I have determined chickens can see color. The one's they hatched that came out splash they pecked to death. Anything that resembled them, they tolerated. One of them even hops on its mother's back for a ride. That being said, when I don't encounter a situation like that, I hatch chicks myself and I usually do it in volume. And then put them in a grow out/brooder box that is massive. Once they outgrow it, they are introduced to the flock. But, then again, I introduce like to like so there isn't a lot of pecking, plus with a larger group, they can't keep up, and eventually the pullets occupy a corner until the deck is reshuffled as far as the pecking order.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Each integration is unique. Some are unbelievably smooth and some can be rough but I've never had one that bad. Aart asked some good questions, I'll ask other questions. Is it just one chick that instigates? Is just one of the younger chicks the target? Is it only cockerels involved? I've had a chick as young as two weeks decide it did not like a hatchmate and kill it. I've had a cockerel around 15 weeks decide it did not like another cockerel it had been raised with, same age and no integration involved with either of these yet I wound up with dead chicks.

If you see that it is one specific chick that instigates I'd separate it out for a week or so and try integrating the rest. See what happens.

 

[Goldendazy]

The only problem I have had is my Blue Americanas became broody and hatched some chicks. I have determined chickens can see color. The one's they hatched that came out splash they pecked to death. Anything that resembled them, they tolerated. One of them even hops on its mother's back for a ride. That being said, when I don't encounter a situation like that, I hatch chicks myself and I usually do it in volume. And then put them in a grow out/brooder box that is massive. Once they outgrow it, they are introduced to the flock. But, then again, I introduce like to like so there isn't a lot of pecking, plus with a larger group, they can't keep up, and eventually the pullets occupy a corner until the deck is reshuffled as far as the pecking order.

What's funny....I have Guineas to and one of my Males only chases after the Americanuas. All he does is chase them and occasionally grab on to their tail feathers. They know now to avoid him.

 

[Goldendazy]

Each integration is unique. Some are unbelievably smooth and some can be rough but I've never had one that bad. Aart asked some good questions, I'll ask other questions. Is it just one chick that instigates? Is just one of the younger chicks the target? Is it only cockerels involved? I've had a chick as young as two weeks decide it did not like a hatchmate and kill it. I've had a cockerel around 15 weeks decide it did not like another cockerel it had been raised with, same age and no integration involved with either of these yet I wound up with dead chicks.

If you see that it is one specific chick that instigates I'd separate it out for a week or so and try integrating the rest. See what happens.

It is my Roo that starts the attack and his flock mates join in. I've never had this problem. I mean they literally get on top of them and attack their heads and necks. They are not in the same pen at all yet. If I can't get them to get along when free ranging I certainly wont have them in the same chicken yard unsupervised.
It's been so bad that I've had to grab them by their legs to get them off of the Welsummers, hold them upside down till they calm down and they run back to attack again.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Maybe try keeping the rooster penned and see how things go without him, it could be with him not around the rest get used to them. Keep him separately long enough than he becomes the odd man out.

 

[Goldendazy]

Were/are the 2 chick groups in separate but adjacent pens,
so they could/can get used to each other for a few weeks?

Feed treats(a bit of scratch grains) spread along that separation line,
so they get used to eating close to each other.

Knowing more about when you got them all, how they have been housed, and what your setup is(pics) and might allow for some chicken juggling would garner more specific solution suggestions.

I've had both crazy chaotic chick group integrations... and easy as pie ones.
Can depend on setup and/or bird demeanor.

The newest chickens are in the pen that the previous group was in before they became mixed in with the older group. That pen is a covered pen about 3ft wide by 6ft long there is a house in there for them to sleep in.
The chicken Yard is very large fenced in and attached to the coop which is large as well its a walk in coop. I let my flock free range when I am home or if the Hubs is home he lets them out to run all over. We have land so the room for them is not a problem.
They can't be trusted yet unsupervised even while free ranging. So the youngest ones are still caged all day. I have only tried it three times but it is not going so well.