Unsecure chicken perches

[juliec]

help please im begining to think ive made a mistake, ive had three girls for a while now they free range from about 7.30 in the morning till they go to bed. Ive a very large enclosed garden and figured i would like some more chickens so off i toddled to thornes told them about my three and bought another 2 from there, that was over a week ago, they are fine during the day as they stay in their two seperate groups but if they come into contact at all there is war the older ones pick dreadfully on the little ones, getting them all to bed is a total nightmare the younger two have taken to hiding, i have to go round in the dark, find them, chase them, catch them and put them in to their bed. Has anyone got any ideas on how i can intergrate them successfully. Also i should add buying another chicken house is out of the question as we have recently lost our business and money is very thin on the ground

[Egluntyne]

Could you borrow a rabbit hutch or similar and then follow the advice given **here**.

 

Perhaps you could divide the run as illustrated

 

**here**

[Tricky]

It's early days yet.Be patient and I'm sure it will work itself out.

Good luck

[bennett]

try putting a torch inside the coop at dusk to encourage the littlies in, or catch them first so they can settle in shut the door for a bit and then let the others make thier own way to bed. Chickens shouldn't fight at bedtime once they are in the coop, which is why they suggest putting new chooks in at night. Things should settle down after a while as long as no blood is shed - good luck x

[coco]

Don't worry, introductions take time. I got two young hens five weeks ago, they have been living in thier own house and run. I've started trying to Fr them with my other hens this weekend but as soon as one of the new hens gets pecked or jumped at they both run into thier house and hide. I'm trying to build thier confidence up by FR them on thier own but its going to take time. things wiil settle down eventually for you.

[juliec]

thanks for the support and help guys, ive split the run in half so they can see one another but not draw blood, im going to give it a few days and see if things improved, in retrospect i think they are too young and i should of got older chickens, but i was told they would be fine together