2 New 1 year old hens into flock of 2

[charlotteda]

6x8 walk in coop attached 8x10 run. My flock is two - old ameraucana hen and a 2 yr old. I am down to 2 because my 3rd one was being horrible to her sister after I lost one to a crop issue. I mean unbearable so I had to give her away.

Now I have acquired 2 1 year olds. Copper Maran and Ameraucana.

I’m using the see don’t touch method by having them in the henitentiary inside the coop. But it’s seems small to keep them out n for 2 weeks.

I tried to let them out together with supervision for a few and wouldnt you know it. Nugget the previous victim jumped right on the white one.

What are your thoughts? Two weeks in cage though it’s small and try again?

 

[texsuze]

For starters can you simply expand the holding area to include the entire space underneath the poop deck? Just add another HW cloth panel in front, which might add some much-needed space for the newbies. Could you create separate, supervised areas by using some type of fencing panels outside the run--obviously you'd be present the entire time--just for psychological enrichment....?

 

[charlotteda]

Perhaps I might extend the space. I’ve promised my husband no more coop renovations for now … for the 3 time lol.

 

[Mrs. K]

Alternate who is inside the small area. One day the newbies, the next day the old girls. This lets the new birds get some territorial rights, and they can explore the area without being chased or harassed, which gives them confidence.

Feed along the separating fence.

The day you try again, let them be together close to dark, so that the urge to fight is about equal to the urge to fight.

Mrs K

 

[charlotteda]

Alternate who is inside the small area. One day the newbies, the next day the old girls. This lets the new birds get some territorial rights, and they can explore the area without being chased or harassed, which gives them confidence.

Feed along the separating fence.

The day you try again, let them be together close to dark, so that the urge to fight is about equal to the urge to fight.

Mrs K

Ahhhh thanks, I could do that. Of my hen, I think the older one is okay - its the younger one that is being a brat.

 

[Mrs. K]

This is going to sound crazy - but really, I think that when the oldies watch the younger ones wander around the coop/ run, and the sky does not fall, they get used to them being there.

Do it a couple of days, then add the one that is not being a brat to the new ones, wait a couple of more days, and then add back the brat. By that time I am pretty sure that the worst will be over.

A little bluster, a few flying feathers is ok, as long as there is no blood, do not step in. But I really think it won't be a big deal.

I have gotten some very difficult integrations to work, doing it like this, letting the new birds have the coop and run. I started to notice that people kept the new birds locked in a small area. Then when they turned them loose, the big area was still strange to them, and had been off limits due to the fencing. The old birds thought it was STILL off limits and tried to run them off.

In pecking order it is all about confidence. Imagine being scooped up, and then dumped in a totally strange building, and immediately have people chasing you with murder in their hearts. You and I would be scared and not confident.

But if we explored the building, found the water, found some feed, hung out and were safe, well then confidence rises.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

I see two issues with that tight space for them (I assume it is about 2 ft x 2 ft). They poop. In that tight space poop will build up fairly fast. You are going to have to manage that poop.

In a small space they might, could, possibly, maybe fight. It doesn't mean they will, just that they might. If they do you'll have to deal with it but if they don't it's not a problem. I always like more space because more space means you are less likely to have a problem but crowding them does not guarantee a problem, especially for a few days.

They are all adults. That is different than if some were immature. I don't think it will hurt anything to house them in there a couple of days as long as they don't try to kill each other. Alternating who is in and who is out won't hurt a thing.

What did it look like when that one hen was beating up on the newby's? Was it a little pecking and chasing or was it an all-out attack to destroy them? Was it one of them or both? Some pecking and chasing is normal and part of sorting the pecking order. If that hen held one down and was pecking at her head as if she were trying to drill a hole in her skull, well that is an attempt to kill. I don't know how vicious it actually was.

I know you have way more than the magical numbers of 4 square feet in the coop and 10 in the run and it should work well for you in the future. The problem is that they have direct line of sight if they are all in the run or all in the coop. What I'd expect to happen for a day or two is that two will be in the coop when the others are in the run. Out of sight.

I'd try it (maybe after a couple of days) and see what happens. If that one hen continues to attack to where you are worried, lock her up by herself for a few days and see how the rest get along. Often isolating a chicken like that can change the flock dynamics. It does not always work but it often does.

If that one hen continues to make life miserable for the other three I'd get rid of her.

 

[charlotteda]

What about painless peepers ? I’ve never used them but have seen them. Of course Nugget isn’t just pecking as much as looking for a brawl lol