[Lorie]

Our 3 blackrock chicks  are 18 weeks old now ,and having them seperated from other 6 hens in an adjacent run and in full view of them,every time we try to put them alltogether,fighting breaks out....chasing, feather pulling, generally giving the youngsters a really hard time..they try to run for cover underneath the main coup,and refuse to come out. its very upsetting to witness...please ,will they ever get on and get along with eachother. we need to take down the dividing fence between them to open up the run...thank you..

[chooksbury]

  It took over two weeks of same behaviour before Dorothy stopped getting hassled.  Hang on in there .. they will eventually settle.. but meanwhile, yes, it's horrible.

[grumpydad]

we have let our new chucks into the garden with the older chucks for a week, putting them back into seperate coops, they hasve had plenty of room to get out of each others way, before we put them in the same run 2 days ago, seems to have worked out ok

[Tayloredcakes]

I've tried several methods of integrating new girls. The two most effect were :-

- a chicken wire dividing fence in the main run (if you have the space and can ensure both groups can get to cover if the weather turns, etc).

- letting them all out together in a large area and destracting them all with tasty treats. I did stay with them for an hour or so to intervene in any scuffles but after a couple of hours they settled down.

It does take time and it is horrible to see, but they will sort themselves out.

My 11 year old Welbar, Sky, still likes to assert her authority over my 7 year old, much bigger, black rock, Oregan!

[Jeanette]

The will sort themselves out eventualy. I had three new girls in with six other chooks and the new ones sat on a shelve for three weeks in the end we put a ramp up to the shelve and my six others went up to join them. I thought they would all stay up there for good  ::)but they sorted it out and they are all happy back on terra ferma.

[Foxy]

I've tried several methods of integrating new girls. The two most effect were :-

- a chicken wire dividing fence in the main run (if you have the space and can ensure both groups can get to cover if the weather turns, etc).

- letting them all out together in a large area and destracting them all with tasty treats. I did stay with them for an hour or so to intervene in any scuffles but after a couple of hours they settled down.

It does take time and it is horrible to see, but they will sort themselves out.

My 11 year old Welbar, Sky, still likes to assert her authority over my 7 year old, much bigger, black rock, Oregan!

11year old legbar, now thats a good age!