Where to go from here?

[lubird]

We have introduced our chicks to our flock of two girls we had from last year. Things did not go well so we took the aggressive one (Dolphin) out for about three weeks and put her in chicken time out where she could see and be a part of the coop but not get the chicks. The other older one was just fine so we kept them with her. She tends to try to block the other from attacking. We reintroduced them in the yard not the shed and they seemed OK for about a day. Now Dolphin is going after them again. They will not come out of the coop if she is in the run or into the coop if she is in there. They sleep peacefully together all in the coop at night. I know there is a dominance thing being worked out but is this ever going to end? My poor gals need to be able to come out of that coop for more than an hour or so a day when it suites the other to be in there laying. Any tips? Do I lock the chicks out of the coop and make them be friends?

 

[Keltara]

How old are the babies?

 

[BrendaJ]

How old are the new chicks?
Its pretty normal to have a pecking order - there is always the top hen. My new ones are going through something similar. I introduced them to the flock when they were 6 weeks old. They had there own area - flock could see them but not get them. Gives the flock time to adjust. I started letting them out together during the day for a couple hours here and there for about a week & just kept increasing the time as days went on. They all share the same area now. There is Hen pecking but its not terrible.

 

[lubird]

They are 17 and 16 weeks old. We have done all the different ways of things. We had them separated first then intorduced them when the aggressive one was pinning down one of the chicks we separated them again but taking her out. After three weeks of that we put them back together. I am just hoping chicken life for them will not consist of always having to stay out of her way, hide in the coop 90% of the time and only be able to be out when she is laying.

The chick in my picture the RIR seems to get the brunt of the attacks. Not sure if that is because she is such a different color or what.

 

[Keltara]

The best way to introduce and combine old and new birds is while free ranging. If you are able to free range your girls, they are able to unite as one flock on their terms and in their time. You already have them sleeping together which is good. If they are allowed to roam free during the day, when a hen asserts dominance over a baby, the baby has plenty of space to run away and escape any and all pecking while the order is ironed out. You will most likely see the babies and biggies free ranging a respectable distance from one another at first. But before you know it, they'll be all free ranging together as a united flock without the terrible bullying that takes place when chickens are forced to unify in a confined chicken run. Are you able to free range?

 

[lubird]

We are planning on it. We just have them locked up until all our garden is established. We had to replant a little because one got out at destroyed the garden and the lawn. They are fine in the garden once things are established but until then maybe another week or so they may have to wait it out until they are allowed out again. That is a good suggestion though. Maybe I will just let them on one half of the garden that is established right now. We have a good sized garden and they should be able to have enough room more than they have now.