adding a single new pullet to the crew

[Mr Bojangles]

Hi. I'm Patrick. I just got into chickens 2 months ago. So I'm learning and having fun everyday. I've been diagnosed with chicken fever! i now have 9 total. 1 rooster, 8 hens. Started with 3 given to me. Roger the buff orp rooster. Rosie the golden comet. And Weeza the australorpe. All adults. Next day I got 3 "6 month old" pullets. Fred the leghorn. Spanky the golden comet. And Buckwheat the black star. Past Sunday I got Scrappy and Scruffy. Both black stars and just started laying. Yesterday I got (bc we couldn't catch her Sunday) Darla a 4 month old buff orp/RIR mix. So. .. on to the question. Everybody is in their own clique. Cliques are in the group's I got them in above. Poor Darla, the youngest, is all lonesome by herself. I know it's the first full day. But so far all I've seen her do is hide on the roosts. Haven't seen her eat or drink yet. I have 2 roosts. 2 waterers. 2 feed troughs. She is for sure at the bottom of pecking order for now. Everyone she goes down she gets chased back up to roost. I'm a little worried they are going to starve her. I know their are posts about integrating. But this is one hen. Seems different and these are my babies. So they are special and deserve their own post.

should I be worried? Let them work it out? Seperate? I'm renting a cabin that had a chicken coop already on it. It's 12x16. Put a roof on it. Been told I could put 15 in there. ... I think 9 is max. Any feedback is appreciated

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

Your birds will probably work out out their pecking order if given time. I've introduced new birds to my flock several times, and have never had a flock starve one of its members. Still, if you don't see Daria eat/drink at all in the next day or so, I would do something about that. Maybe find a way to put a feeder and/or waterer up where a bird on the roosts can reach it?

Good luck!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

We all have chicken fever here!

X2 they should work themselves out within time. Make sure to give them hideaways. Make sure all the chickens can eat and drink. If you have to, put four feeders and waterers out until they work themselves out. Bossy chickens will hog the feeders and end up starving the new birds.

Good luck!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

You might keep her separated from the others during the day so she can get something to eat and drink in peace and get used to being in the flock. Make SURE you have several areas to eat and drink when you add new birds to a flock. The others are going to guard these areas.

Is he were my bird, I would let her get used to her new home by going up and sitting with her in the coop and locking the others out. I would find out who is being the most aggressive and cage them so that she is a bit braver. Usually it is one that starts it and is the worst. I just introduced some new chicks to my flock and regularly I am putting a bird in "jail" for the day because they chase or bite at the new chicks.

Do what you have to do to let this new bird adjust to the new flock as it is very possible they can stress her to the point of starvation and dehydration.

Also, go up at roosting time and make sure she has a spot on the roost bar. Until she gets worked into the flock, you will need to pamper her a bit extra than the others.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

Well she was still on the roost herself. I put a small trough on there and she eventually ate and ate and ate. Put a small waterer up there but she wasn't interested. Thanks for the help and advice. I'm going to make/but her,her own trough and waterer to hang from the roof tomorrow!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

 

[MeepBeep]

I have introduced several younger hens to my group this year, what I have done is put the new girl in a wire cage with food and water for 2 days inside the coop so everyone can get a look at her and she can get a look at everyone else and her surroundings, at the end of the 2nd day once it's dark I let her out, and remove the wire cage... So far so good and I have not seen any excess harassment, in fact quite the contrary they seem to fall right into place like they were always there...

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

TwpCrows and Meep Beep have given you good advice, I would initiate what both are saying.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

An quick update. I'm still planning on putting 1 in chicken jail. She is a total bully. I added another hen yesterday. My last one. Lucy the barred rock. Her and the other I had trouble with have been staying on the roost out of the way. I set of a homemade feeder and waterer up there so they could eat. I think Darla was getting used to it and the Lucy was learning to stay up there. So today I shewed them off theroost. Kept them on the ground. Shewed the bully and rooster away while they were down. So far so good. They haven't gone back up yet. Now scratching around eating and drinking like a chicken should. Hopefully it stays this way. Thanks for help!