[whitepeaks]

  We have brought 2 chicks back from a school project and now have them either in the coop when the other 2 hens are in the garden, or in an old guineapig run at night. On the occasion when they have met, the dominant hen really went for the little chickens. How and when do I let them fend for themselves?

[cluckyclaire]

You say chicks - How old are they? You really need to wait unitl they are fully grown (i normally wait till about 18 weeks) until you introduce them to the older hens as otherwise the oldies could kill the youngsters. You will still get fisty cuffs while they sort out the pecking order when you do introduce them but it should not be as bad.

Claire

[egglady]

yup, i agree with claire.  we put the new ones in a separate pen joined on to the existing one so they could see each other but not peck at each other (other than through the fence) and left them like this for a few weeks till everyone seemed happy.  then we simply took the fence down before we let them out one morning and everyone was fine after that.  still a wee bit arguing but nothing to worry about
laura

[Sharondp]

We had some light sussex pullets in the pen next to our black rocks. Sadly a fox got 4 out of the 5, so we put the remaining one in a little run in the black rock pen, then after a few days let her out with the others. Because they'd seen each other at close quarters, there were only a few little scuffles, but nothing major.

Our pullet was about 9 weeks when she went in with the big girls.