I am integrating two 22 week old pullets into my small flock of seven. After quarantine, the littles spent over a week inside their own pen inside the chicken run. I have been slowly integrating them into the rest of the flock by letting them out into the run while the big girls free range during the day and slowly letting one of the older gals in with them at a time, while I supervise. They could always return to their little pen if needed andthe big girls could not get in. I also tried putting the littles into the coop at night for about a week, making sure there was no big fuss. Everything was quiet and they didnt get ran out. (Coop area is10 x 5 ft with area underneath and then attached covered run is 24 x 14 ft. There is 3 food stations and the waterer has 5 stations. I also let them out to free range during the summer. Existing flock consists of 6 hens (2 ameracaunas - 3 or 4 yrs old, cochin, jubilee orpington, and silver laced wyandotte are 1 & 1/2 yrs, one silkie hen 5-6 yrs old, and One silkie Rooster, 7-8 yrs old. )Normally, the little silkie hen avoids all of the bigger gals, choosing to free range away from the rest, waiting till last to return to the coop to eat and drink after the others have gone up to roost in the coop. She does gets chased a little by the big girls. But no damage to her, no blood has ever been drawn just a feather every now and then. I noticed very quickly that the littles do fine with everyone but the Jubilee Orpington, who chases them mercilessly. The new little black marans hen will make herself taller, flap her wings and actually peck the other older hens on the head! But she runs from the orpington. I have put plenty of hidey spots in the run and even a small cat house which they love to run into to. The Orpington will chase them but does leave them for a bit to do other things, but if she sees them again, the chase is on. She chased them out of the coop one morning when they were roosting there. She does not jump on them or corner them and peck nonstop. Mostly just a peck and chase. This went on for over a week, while I waited for her to settle down. So I decided to remove the bully away to see how it goes. She is now in the pen in the run and the littles are loose with the flock. There have been no issues. The littles are even going into the coop at night to roost squeezed in beside the big girls. I have now had the bully hen separated for 3 days. How long will I need to leave her there before she might have learned her lesson and the pecking order dynamics change?
