chicken murdering hawk

[gracey]

i had 2 5wk old hens and a hawk killed one. the other is seperate from all the others in a box. she don't seem traumatized. i want to move her in the coop with the 1yr old hens, and a rooster. do i remove the rooster? do i leave hes seprate? do i just put her in? WHAT DO I DO!!!!!!!

 

[centrarchid]

Two 5-week olds or 25-week olds?

 

[gracey]

two 5-week olds

 

[centrarchid]

Rooster often least of worries. TO control worries overall, either house juvenile pullet separately or have her in her own cage / pen within then pen used to house the elder birds to promote imprinting. After a few days release juvenile under supervision. Restore juvenile to smaller pen if aggression excessive / damaging.

 

[gracey]

the 5-week old is not the same breed as the others and she has been sepreate all along. occasionaly they would see each other in the yard, but other than that they have been apart.

 

[gracey]

i meant 5-MONTH old. my bad, i'm a little tired.

 

[centrarchid]

Then still do as suggested. Put her on roost with others at night. Check her first thing they come roost make certain no harm comes her. The more you are introducing her to the better. Also rearrange things in coop just before and when you put her in.

 

[gracey]

thank you for your information!!!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

If you remove the rooster then you have upset the pecking order apple cart. In that case one or two or all your hens will begin vying for the top spot.
Any low ranking chicken regardless if it is 5 weeks old or a 5 months old will be the target of every other hen's aggression.

There was a saying in the old Army that goes something like this, "s*** rolls down hill." I can not think of a more apt description of how the pecking order works. Centrarchid is spot on when he says that the rooster is the least of your concerns.