2 new chickens, issues....??

[h_palmer]

Hi all

Well after removing "Robert" our rooster from our little family we replaced him with two new point of lay chickens... We currently have two Isa Brown chickens, "lulu and tiny", the two new ones are Lohmann Browns "Pebbles and Daisy", pretty much the same family they are approx 4 weeks younger than Lulu and Tiny. Lulu and Tiny are being very mean to them and keep pecking them on the back, although they slept together in the coop last night without any issues - lulu and tiny down one far end and Pebbles and Daisy the opposite end - our coop (sleep area, nesting area) is a greenhouse that we dont use so it is pretty big. But as soon as daylight hit lulu and tiny started making a huge racket and continue on until they are let out - anytime they are put in the coop with the other two they complain big time and tiny seems to be the one being aggresive.

Is this just a waiting game... will they eventually become friends.??

Thanks
Heather

 

[chicmom]

Yes, that's pretty normal behavior. Chickens are very territorial, so they will always give the newbies a hard time, but don't worry, things will settle down in about a week or so. (It's hard to watch that, but almost all new chickens that are added to a flock have to go through that.)

Hang in there.....

 

[florida lee]

yep, that's what I've been thru twice now. Thats the chicken way. the first set of newbes have been in the coop about a month now and finally are not being picked on as much, now they've joined the others in picking on the two new ones...its hard to watch.

 

[Kaeta44]

I agree with Chicmom and Floridalee, your chicken behaviour is perfectly normal. It can be difficult and even upsetting to watch sometimes, but they will definitely all settle down when they've established who is boss, and who is number 2, 3 and 4.

http://muckycluckers.blogspot.com/

 

[farmgirlz]

They're just establishing the new "pecking" order. That's where that saying comes from. They're working out who's the boss, who's the foreman and who are the peons that's all... In addition, you removed the "boss", so it may take some time, but they'll eventually fall into a rhythm.

I introduced 7 new chicks this spring. They were big enough to put in with the rest, but they were still the newbies. They still get pushed around some, but I have a feeling once they start laying, things will change. They'll be able to start pulling their own weight and things will settle down.

I saw the same thing when we got rid of "Richard" {I was tired of being beat up}. And he might have been mean, but he was the boss and he kept order in the coop.