Adding a new girl

FloridaChick13

In the Brooder
Jul 8, 2015
75
3
46
Naples, FL
So now I'm nervous. I had one hen and one roo and added one more hen tonight. The other two have been together since hatching and they are so mean to Cornelia (new girl). They won't let her in the coop but she is sitting up high on a perch outside the coop. The other two pecked and circled her a lot. I just hope she's ok in the morning. Any added advice to help?
400
 
Since it is late already and they are sleeping I would just make sure I was out there when the wake in the morning so I could let them out, incase they really bully her so that she can escape them if need be. I've never just put a new chicken in with existing ones. I after quarantine, I put them where they can see but not touch each other for a few weeks, then slowly let them free range together. But I have multiple coops, so makes that part easier for me. Hope all goes well for you, and your new chicken!
 
Since it is late already and they are sleeping I would just make sure I was out there when the wake in the morning so I could let them out, incase they really bully her so that she can escape them if need be. I've never just put a new chicken in with existing ones. I after quarantine, I put them where they can see but not touch each other for a few weeks, then slowly let them free range together. But I have multiple coops, so makes that part easier for me. Hope all goes well for you, and your new chicken!

The above is good advice, especially if you don't free range your flock. I usually keep a new chicken in a mini-coop within the main coop (a shed, so theres plenty of room) for two nights. Thereafter, i let them out to free range with the rest of the flock. Normally, after a day or so, the squabbling ends when the newbie knows her place in the pecking order. Its a good idea to have two feeding stations out of eyesight of each other also in order to reduce food-based aggression.

Good luck

CT
PS - if at all possible in the future, you may wish to consider introducing at least 2 chickens as the aggression is "shared" and stops one being picked on more than another (also a great excuse in terms of "chicken maths"
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Thank you everyone! I didn't have the option of adding more than one. She was given to us as the last living from a fox attack that took out a whole flock except her. I kept telling my husband we should put her in the small pen, but it didn't work out that way. (He doesn't understand my obsession with them) I checked on them this morning, set out extra feeding stations and all seems to be ok. She's eating too but I'm sure she's stressed out and it will take a couple of days for her to resume laying. Thanks again.
 
If she's ok today then all is well and I'm sure she'll fit in 100% very soon.

CT
 

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