2yo Girl brutal to new 6month old chicken

[Tippy Toes]

I have had some bad luck with my four chickens and very recently, my flock became just one in number. My old girl, Pearl, a Coronation Sussex (very large) free ranges my small backyard and takes herself off to bed in the coop each night. My yard is fully fenced so I have no problem with foxes or dogs.
Two weeks ago, I introduced a new white pullet. She's what's described as a 'long lay' which means she's not pure breed nor a commercial. They don't lay prolifically but then don't die from reproductive exhaustion as do the commercials. Obviously more than half the size of Pearl.
There was some territorial pecking and hunting the new girl away from food (which I have scattered about the yard but they settled into a kind of truce after a few days.
Yesterday, I introduced another pullet, black this time and OMG, it was like a war zone. I placed the new girl into the coop run and Pearl was throwing herself at the wire, madly attacking just like roosters fighting. Flying up, feet out, neck feathers rigid and screaming/pecking through the wire. I was horrified.
I've put my old girl into a quarantine cage for the night but this morning, let her out under supervision, to see how she would react to the two pullets that were happily free-ranging around the yard. Again, the brutal attack was immediate! What do I do? I now have two chickens who met only yesterday (pullets) who get on famously and one old girl that's not having a bar of pullet #2. Is it the black colour? Her previous buddy was a black Astralorpe so I don't get it. Why is Pearl reacting to this one so badly. Can anyone help me here... I just don't know what to do?

 

[Chickiemom25]

i would have confined the new girl in the yard so the old girl could see her but not get to her. You may have just pushed her a bit over the edge adding 2 new birds so soon. put the old hen back with #2 and out #3 in a dog crate or confine her somehow so they can meet without physical contact. this seems pretty normal

 

[Mylied]

You can't introduce grown chickens suddenly and have them get along. Keep the new one separate but in sight for a few weeks and the intro will go better. I usually put my grow outs in an adjacent pen until they are close to size with my established flock. When it's time to add them, I have no problems.

 

[thumper29a]

If i bring a newbie home.. Usually 2 or more so one wont be singled out.. But i always put the newbies in a cage on the floor so everyone can see them and get used to them being around .. Then after a day or two i release them and keep a close eye on behavior if they persist to really pick on one.. I make the decision to get rid of that one or they will stress it to its death.. There will usually always be some pecking to establish pecking order which i allow.. But if it gets real aggressive as you have described it's best to decide whats best for the one being bullied..

 

[azygous]

Just as with people, sometimes there are violent personality conflicts between chickens. Why? Who knows what motivates a chicken. But this is how chickens roll.

You've been graced by the success of the two pullets getting along well, but now you will need to do a gradual integration with the two pullets and the old girl.

I wrote an article, URL listed below, on how to integrate a single hen. What I suggest is that you do things in reverse, turning the two pullets loose in the run and placing Pearl in a roomy crate in the center of the run with food and water. It will be tense at first, but I predict things will quiet down in no time.

When you see Pearl settling down after a couple days, try letting her out of the crate for a little bit while you watch. She may attack the black pullet, but try not to interfere unless you see Pearl on top and starting to draw blood. As long as they just spar, they probably won't hurt each other. Separate them if if goes on more than one minute, and put Pearl back into the crate.

I would try letting all three roost together, but only after the pullets are settled in, let Pearl go into the coop. It may take a few weeks, be patient, but they should eventually decide on a pecking order they all can live with.

 

[MageofMist]

Even introducing chicks can be dangerous. When I was raising the babies the hen hatched and rejected, I had them on the yard a lot with supervision... One time Rooroo, the dad, picked one up and tried to run off with the shrieking chick but I grabbed him and made him drop her.

It took 2 months for the Rooster to get along with them, and even longer for the hen to accept them. Heck, I made a pen to put Rooroo and the youngsters in when they graduated the brooder just so the hen wouldn't murder one of the youngsters while I was asleep, but they were all let out together in the morning.

The hen was the worst offender, chasing and pecking them at any opportunity and at one point got in a fight with Peep-Peep, a young cockerel who was just coming into age at that time, though his dad came to the rescue and kicked the hen away. She scratched his earlobe and drew blood, but other than that he was fine.

They are 6 month old now, and have 4 month old younger siblings who were raised by the hen. Things are fairly peaceful with them though, minus the youngest cockerel named Scruff who only finds safety with Rooroo and Peep-Peep as the hens attack him.

 

[aart]

Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[chickens really]

Start today as Day one....Start over...Put new Chicken in a look no touch pen for a week and then try to introduce as they free range..If fights happen as in the first attempt ?wait a few days more....Do not add any more Birds....