Frida won't let the new girl into the coop to lay...

FloridaChick13

In the Brooder
Jul 8, 2015
75
3
46
Naples, FL
I added a new girl to my flock and she hadn't laid an egg since I got her. I found an egg today that she had laid while roosting on the small roof of the coop. It rolled down the pitched roof and cracked. I tried to put her in the coop to show her the best if box and Friday went in after her and forced her out. I made a new temporary nesting box and showed it to her. I'm worried that she's not sleeping in the coop either :( anyway to get my original two to accept the new girl and let her in to the coop?
 
Chickens will pick on new chickens unfortunately, I think it just takes time, but if the new chicken gets more comfortable and confident the other two should accept her faster. Others probably have better advise.
 
Well, you should, first of all, always quarantine new birds for a month. If a new bird is sick, and joins the flock right away, it can spell disaster for all of them. Birds are very good at hiding symptoms of illness, and this is why quarantine is so important. You can keep the new birds in a separate coop or pen or cage where they can hear and see the others, but not mingle. Not only does this help to assure that the new bird is disease free, but it also gives the new one a chance to get used to new surroundings. After three weeks, you can move the pen or cage closer to the others, so that they can see and socialize with each other. And even after that, when we let our newbies out, we stick around for a while to make sure they aren't being bullied a whole lot. When introducing new birds to an existing flock, it's always better to have at least two new birds to introduce together..who have spent their quarantine together....that way, they have each other to keep them company,until they are accepted by the rest of the flock. You could try getting a couple more new ones, and follow the procedure I just mentioned. It might be a distraction for the flock, and let all of them acclimate to each other. Your new bird is just stressed out and scared. Just think how you would feel if you had to join new people and live in their house, and you didn't know anyone, or have any idea where you were.

I hope this helps. Welcome to BYC!
 
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