trouble with introducing new pullets

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ffibyar

ffibyar

Songster
8 Years
Oct 28, 2015
115
61
166
lorain county, Ohio
I feel this is a bit more than pecking order but I am new at this.

I have 3 Bared Rock's, 6 RIR, 5 Black Austrilorp's and 3 Delaware's. For about 3 weeks I kept the 3 Delawares in their separate cage/pen sharing the same water as the bigger girls. Oh, there is around a 3 month difference in age. Late June to late September.

So last week I decided that the introduction was long enough and put the 3 in with the rest of the flock.

Right off the bat a BR went after them. I stayed in the coop with them to make sure it didn't get to out of control. I sort of would stop it if it seemed a bit to much. The 3 D's stayed together and went to the highest roost and stayed there.

I left and came back later and they were still up high on the roost. I do have a couple different water and feed stations.

Anyway I went out the yesterday day and the 3 were all together under this lean to board I put in there for them to hide if need be. I had them get out so the could eat and drink, and one of the BR went right after them. I have the introduction cage still so I put her in there. Went back in the coop and a RIR were after the 3 D's.

Also, as soon as they came out they went right for the food station I have away from the one that has been there from the beginning. You could tell they were starving. I stayed there to make sure they ate what they wanted and drank.

I think it would be better if they went out in there run, but we have a little snow and they don't seem that interested in going out.

Do I need to let this work it's self out or what?

Also not once has the BA's went after them while I have been out there. I do see them stand up to the others and even do the pecking order thing with the RIR's and BR's.
 
ffibyar said:
I feel this is a bit more than pecking order but I am new at this.

I have 3 Bared Rock's, 6 RIR, 5 Black Austrilorp's and 3 Delaware's. For about 3 weeks I kept the 3 Delawares in their separate cage/pen sharing the same water as the bigger girls. Oh, there is around a 3 month difference in age. Late June to late September.

So last week I decided that the introduction was long enough and put the 3 in with the rest of the flock.

Right off the bat a BR went after them. I stayed in the coop with them to make sure it didn't get to out of control. I sort of would stop it if it seemed a bit to much. The 3 D's stayed together and went to the highest roost and stayed there.

I left and came back later and they were still up high on the roost. I do have a couple different water and feed stations.

Anyway I went out the yesterday day and the 3 were all together under this lean to board I put in there for them to hide if need be. I had them get out so the could eat and drink, and one of the BR went right after them. I have the introduction cage still so I put her in there. Went back in the coop and a RIR were after the 3 D's.

Also, as soon as they came out they went right for the food station I have away from the one that has been there from the beginning. You could tell they were starving. I stayed there to make sure they ate what they wanted and drank.

I think it would be better if they went out in there run, but we have a little snow and they don't seem that interested in going out.

Do I need to let this work it's self out or what?

Also not once has the BA's went after them while I have been out there. I do see them stand up to the others and even do the pecking order thing with the RIR's and BR's.
Click to expand...

Just have to let them work it out. My guess is the BR is the alpha. When you remove the alpha next in line becomes alpha so she starts pecking. It's best not to interfere until there's some blood. Then the older ones will go after the blood spot.
 
Birdrain92 said:
Just have to let them work it out. My guess is the BR is the alpha. When you remove the alpha next in line becomes alpha so she starts pecking. It's best not to interfere until there's some blood. Then the older ones will go after the blood spot.
Click to expand...


I agree.
Ct
 
Hello!
400

Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to joined the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around BYC. It's always hard to add new chickens. I personally would keep them separate, but together. That way the see, hear and most importantly can get to their own food and water. They sound as if they were starving them out. So try it again when the weather allows for you to use the run. So they have more room to get away and they will be a little older. Hope that helps. It took me about six months to get harmony with my new and old girls. I tended to intervened and I'd mess the pecking order up. Because I became a part of it. When I'd leave, they'd started over. It's crazy, but true.
 
Well thank you for all that are helping. I read so much on this site and I swore there was nothing you had to ask because if you look it's already here somewhere. But I had to ask.

I wasn't sure if it was pecking order or I had a couple with bad attitudes.

I'll give it a day more or 2 and see how it goes. If it doesn't straighten up I think I will go ahead and separate them again for a bit.

When the snow is gone ( like last Saturday ) I will let them out free ranging. and I know the 3 will be ok.

Guess I didn't think the head pecker would go after them so much. . I know better now.

Thank you
 
ffibyar said:
Well thank you for all that are helping. I read so much on this site and I swore there was nothing you had to ask because if you look it's already here somewhere. But I had to ask.

I wasn't sure if it was pecking order or I had a couple with bad attitudes.

I'll give it a day more or 2 and see how it goes. If it doesn't straighten up I think I will go ahead and separate them again for a bit.

When the snow is gone ( like last Saturday ) I will let them out free ranging. and I know the 3 will be ok.

Guess I didn't think the head pecker would go after them so much. . I know better now.

Thank you
Click to expand...

Each time you separate them sometimes you have to start off from square 1 again. Not always but sometimes it happens. I've had it when I first introduce 1 or 2 new chickens to my flock no matter the age it will sometimes be a week before they will move with everyone else. When I introduced my rooster to my pullets I had a couple of them kept him on the roost or on top of the nesting boxes for a week and then now he doesn't get bothered by the girls.
 
My inter net is acting up today. I'd like to show a picture of how I have it set up for the 3 girls. So I will just tell you.

I have 3 pens/cages out in the coop. The original girls are in what was the first area I got ready.

The second cage area is a small one maybe 4 feet long 30 inches wide. At the one end I have a slit cut in the wire and a large water dispenser set there so the old girls could get to know the new ones. After about a week like that, I cut a small passageway so they could get in/out to mingle or just get out of the smaller area when the old girls went out.

When I thought it was time to join them I closed the passageway off.

I went a head and open it back up and they are in there again. I feel better and I am sure they do too.

I think maybe I didn't understand the pecking order as well as I need to and they could be a little on edge from not going out of the coop.
Still not letting post a picture so I will try later. Thanks again!!
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens. You may also want to put "Integration issues," in the search box and it should come up with several articles.
 

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