Please help! Added new chicken to flock and is getting pecked enough to draw blood...

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halversonfarm

halversonfarm

Hatching
7 Years
May 10, 2012
5
0
7
Wondering if there was anyone out there who experienced this. We have added a new chicken (Americauna) to our flock of 17 birds. We have added birds in the past with little interuption....this is different. The other hens are pecking her and drawing blood. She is freaking out, flying around squawking....Does anyone have any advice on how to integrate her into the flock?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Slowly is how I usually do it. Put them so they can see the new hen, but not reach her. I put any new addition in a large wire dog crate in the corner of the coop for a few weeks, with her own food and water. Then I will put her on the roost in the evening with the other hens. Usually goes pretty slick.
If newbie is from an outside source, it is usually a pretty good idea to isolate the new hen for a few weeks to make sure she is healthy (lice/mite free, no coughs.wheezes, etc).
Good luck
 
It's very hard to add one hen to a large group. Perhaps the last time you added hens you added several at a time, or perhaps you had fewer hens. Or, it heat stress could aggravate it - if they all want to be in the shade the actual living area is smaller. Once blood is drawn you have to remove the hen and let her heal, as the blood and wound will just make the aggression worse. If she's not badly wounded, use blu-kote to darken the exposed skin. I have suggestions on how to make the transition smoother here:
http://hencam.com/faq/introducing-new-hens/
 
turtlebird said:
Slowly is how I usually do it.  Put them so they can see the new hen, but not reach her.  I put any new addition in a large wire dog crate in the corner of the coop for a few weeks, with her own food and water.  Then I will put her on the roost in the evening with the other hens.  Usually goes pretty slick. 
If newbie is from an outside source, it is usually a pretty good idea to isolate the new hen for a few weeks to make sure she is healthy (lice/mite free, no coughs.wheezes, etc).
Good luck
Click to expand...


X2.


I have to do the same thing to introduce new pullets. Mine free range so I have to get them used to the coop anyways before I let the new ones out with the rest. Otherwise they will try to get back into their grow out tractors.
 

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