Problems with older and new chickens

[Ridgerunner]

Kathy your chickens are behaving exactly like I'd expect chickens that age to act. You can always find some exceptions but in general immature chickens are afraid of mature chickens until the younger ones reach a certain level of maturity. For a good reason, the older chickens are likely to peck them if the younger ones invade their personal space. Mine are most aggressive about that as they are settling down for the night and almost never sleep on the main roosts with the adults until about the time they start to lay. Until then they sleep somewhere other than the main roosts. During the day the young ones make sure they are somewhere the adults are not.

I don't know how your new roost is situated relative to the old one but it may not be far enough away horizontally that the older hens cannot reach them. It may be too close for comfort.

With that type of ages I don't expect them to mingle that much at all. I consider it a successful integration if the young ones are not getting hurt. It sounds like you have accomplished that in what I consider a pretty small area so I think you have done well. Just don't expect them to be one tight flock until the young begin to lay.

 

[kathyzimmy]

Pretty much the same experience here. The chicks, now 15 weeks old, were in a see/no touch situation in the run for a month and half starting at 2 1/2 weeks old.. The older hens do not like the 15 week olds at all, but since there's no blood, I'm not too worried about it. It'll all work itself out. All of mine free range from about 9 AM until they put themselves to bed at night. Sometimes one or two of the young ones are on the roost, sometimes not.

I used to let my free range all day in the summer, but I lost three to predators - one was eaten at 4:30 in the afternoon! Because of that, I now only let them out for a few hours a day. Do you not have that problem?

 

[imnukensc]

I think anyone that has chickens has the risk of predator problems whether they free range or not. I've never had a predator problem in the run or the attached coop. Yes, I've lost a couple chickens while free ranging, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.

 

[Mrs. K]

In looking at your run, it is just an open area, a bird in one part cannot get out of sight of another bird. Just some small pieces of plywood leaned up against a wall, something put up on bricks, where birds can go to get out of sight of each other.

I would kick the big birds out into your yard, and put your littles in the run, so they can explore in peace and find the hideouts, and block off the nest boxes just before dark.

You are tight of space, you might find that this problem gets worse as the chicks get bigger. IMO letting them out for a couple of hours does not make up for a too small of coop.

Mrs K

 

[ramboas93]

sometimes they will integrate sometimes they wont and form separate flocks within a flock, i have 3 different flocks within my flock but i got alot of birds, theirs my alpha flock and 2 other flocks, the alpha flock go and do what they please and the other 2 flocks pretty much just stay out of the dominate flocks way. This is always changing tho as some birds go or more are added, sometimes flocks merage together or sometimes they split apart. Usually has to do with roosters, i got 4 roosters. alpha flock has 2 brother roosters who are my oldest birds and their 18 hens, 1 flock is one of their sons who they chased out of their group when he matured and he has 8 hens who seemed to fancy him and left the main flock with him to start the 2nd flock, 3rd flock is rooster i bought and 3 hens i bought with him they didnt merge with one of the flocks and just kinda did their own thing since day 1. I mean they all get along fine for most part, forage and sleep within eye shot of all each other but their is most definitely groups within a group going on. My previous head rooster who is the dad too the two brothers when he died his hens merged into the 2 brothers flock and became the new dominate flock. Its very interesting if you have alot of birds and to watch all the "politics" that go on its ever changing, and im sure in a year from now it will be very different then it is today.

 

[RWise]

More space, hiding places, multiple eating/watering places,

I free range, and dont see this issue, I also put in an area that only the littles can get in, Like an area surrounded with 3x3 wire, the chicks can pass through but the older birds cant (I have full size birds). This area also has feed/water for the chicks. I put mine in the flock at 5 weeks, only because of cats or they would go sooner.