Mean Girls - introducing new girls to older 'cougars'

[alycoop]

I have a flock of 6 pullets, purchased around Memorial Day when they were one week old. So far they have henlike appearance and the Buff O. seems to be the head honcho.

I have two Aracaunas a bit younger, purchased later, which I kept separate. Three times now I've tried to introduce them to the older flock but the older ones really went after the younger...chasing, pecking them so each time we've taken them back to their separate area.

Today we got our 'free range' fenced run up and tried it again. This time when it started one of the younger Aracauna pullets puffed up and stood its ground. Feathers around neck puffed up and it kind of danced around.
It really was kind of comical as the older girls went running away!
My husband said it looked like a cock during a cockfight. Do hens do this when challenged? I'm wondering if this pullet is a cockeral.

 

[buffcajun]

We just went through something similar. We lost three hens to a fox so after turning our coop into Fort Knox, we got new hens. The only survivor, who we re-named Lucky, got a rude lesson in the pecking order process. Since she is a few weeks younger than the new girls, she became low girl on the totem pole, even though it was "her house".

Everything has pretty much worked itself out now, though the new girls will occasionally chase Lucky away. They do remind me of a bunch of high school girls!