Drama in the coop!

[ttfoster]

Hi There!
Last night I was spy like and I quickly put our new addition to the the group. Everything was doing fine then, BOOM! My 2 year old turned on the light...Well all the girls were up!!! My Penny was making a horrible noise and very LOUD!! Because we live in a normal neighbor hood, I was so nervous how loud she was. I mean it was now 10 at night and she was screaming like people were killing her!! So here I was now 10:30 PM, cuddling her and shh hing her until she fell asleep so I could put her back to bed...CRAZY LADY, I know!! EHHehhe It worked!! She slept all night!

Now this morning, there pecking each other!! Penny was the boss, but I'm thinking maybe the new one is cause everyone is running from her. She is hogging all the food and if anyone comes near, they get a peck! My Annie is so scared she shaking. What do I do?

Thanks,
Bridget

 

[annie3001]

hello.
introducing a new hen can be difficult. was this there first time meeting the new one? i only introduce thru cages first. pecking order maybe difficult to break. did you just introduce just one? how many are in your flock? hopefully someone else will chime to offer advice too. good luck. time maybe all you will need.

 

[teach1rusl]

It's usually the newcomer who gets beaten up, so that's odd. Give them a few days and keep an eye out to interfere if it comes down to bloodshed. Have more than one food dish available (as far away from the other dish as possible). They're going to have to work out pecking order w/the new addition; chickens do NOT like changes. If they're able to be out in your yard when you're home, then let them, because the more space they have to deal with each other (and more space to get away from one another) will help...

 

[ttfoster]

Great advice! Thank you! I will make sure they are put out longer for more time away from each other, they are in a small coop. Man, I wish I would have waited and done the introducing thing first! I thought it was going to be so easy, like they would wake up in the morning and not even remember she was not there the whole time?? WRONG!

I know! Everything I have read was about the newbie being the one that gets pecked?? My girls are so sweet, I think that is why??

BLOOD??? They get that mean??? How long do you wait, till you think there not a good match?

 

[artsyrobin]

prior to this did you have her in a sectioned off area where they could see her and not touch her? that is the best way to minimize the shuffling- then they are accustomed to seeing her

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
If you can bare it, I'd try to give it a month, as long as nobody is getting hurt (bloodshed). Yes, combs can get torn (and they bleed a LOT for some reason), and probably more severe injuries (that I've only read of), so do keep an eye out. When I introduced two newbies (THEY were the ones getting picked on), I'd sit out there with a spray bottle and watch them. When someone (really, only one girl was picking on them) would begin stalking toward them with "that look," I'd spray the aggressor with a squirt. It actually seemed to help after a few days (I think the bully hen thought maybe the newbies were someone doing it...lol...since she couldn't really tell where the squirt came from).

 

[ttfoster]

No I didn't!! I'm such a dork! I was so excited to get a new girl...I just read about it in a book and did the whole wait till dark thing. Now I know!! I should have known, you don't just put a dog in a pin with others and think it will be okay!! What was I thinking??

 

[xjonesy]

I ususally mix in at least two new ladies at a time with the flock -- the attention of the flock is sometimes diverted between the two instead of focusing on the sole new lady. I'll give them 2-3 days to look and peck at each other through a chicken wire fence. Assuming the new birds are nearly full grown and can handle their own, I'll start letting them in together with the flock and standing back a bit...then I jump in and referree when one of the new ones gets pinned down and is getting pecked like crazy. I try not to interfere too much...they just have to work it out and determine their pecking order. I separate them again after 5-10 minutes, then repeat the process the next day. When I mix I throw in some wheat or corn or another treat and let them all eat together so they're distracted from each other -- those who eat together, play together.

If the new birds are young and smaller than the flock, it will take much longer for them to mix in with the flock -- could take 4-6 weeks until the new birds are large enough to defend themselves.

 

[sourland]

It's just reestablishment of the pecking order. Be glad that she is the aggressor. If all the others had attacked her, she could be dead. It will take time, but they will work things out. Just normal chicken behavior.