Adding new hen to the flock

[lauren212]

I have 4 hens about a year and a half old. I brought a new one home about 16 weeks old. I made sure she was disease free for the first two weeks then last week I divided the run with wire so the hens could see her but not touch her. At night I would put her on the roost beside them and there wasn’t any issues. This morning I tried to introduce her and they are really attacking her...no blood but trying to rip out her feathers. One of the hens is the most aggressive. I put her in the caged area by herself and it helped a bit. Any ideas?

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Introducing a single bird is harder. They get singled out.
You are doing the right thing. Keeping her separated but within eye sight. If you have a large dog crate you could try putting her in that and doing short visits in with the others. They can get closer but not beat up.

There will always be some pecking and putting her in her place. There is a pecking order.

Hopefully someone else will chime in with ideas.

 

[Ridgerunner]

One issue is that you are introducing a pullet to hens. Mature chickens outrank immature chickens in the pecking order and some aren’t shy about enforcing those pecking order rights. As you saw, some are more aggressive than others. I don’t know how much room you have either. Normally immature chickens avoid mature chickens because that pecking is so common. I’m not talking about the coop space in isolation or the run in isolation but how much room is available when it is needed. And I’m not talking about square feet per chicken. I’m talking about can the pullet get away if she is attacked and avoid the others so she doesn’t get attacked again.

Another issue is that chickens are social animals, they like to be with other chickens. Your pullet is attracted to the other hens yet she gets picked on when she gets close. But she needs to avoid them to keep from getting picked on. This is often a reason introducing more than one at a time is often beneficial, they can have company without it being the hens.

I think you are going about it the right way. In spite of what I said above, immature and mature chickens often intermingle pretty well once they get used to each other. Some can be real brutes and bullies though, individual personalities come into play. My pullets normally make their way into the pecking order and stop this behavior about the time they start to lay so you may be close.

I’m not sure how you are managing the mornings when they wake up together, but I’d keep doing what you are doing. The pullet needs a predator proof place to sleep. Separating the aggressor is a good thing, don’t be too quick to put them back together as long as you can do that considering predators. A day or two isolation may affect her aggressiveness since it messes with the pecking order.

Introducing a lone chicken and her being a pullet both make it a bit more challenging, but with patience and some work you can do it. Good luck!

 

[lauren212]

One issue is that you are introducing a pullet to hens. Mature chickens outrank immature chickens in the pecking order and some aren’t shy about enforcing those pecking order rights. As you saw, some are more aggressive than others. I don’t know how much room you have either. Normally immature chickens avoid mature chickens because that pecking is so common. I’m not talking about the coop space in isolation or the run in isolation but how much room is available when it is needed. And I’m not talking about square feet per chicken. I’m talking about can the pullet get away if she is attacked and avoid the others so she doesn’t get attacked again.

Another issue is that chickens are social animals, they like to be with other chickens. Your pullet is attracted to the other hens yet she gets picked on when she gets close. But she needs to avoid them to keep from getting picked on. This is often a reason introducing more than one at a time is often beneficial, they can have company without it being the hens.

I think you are going about it the right way. In spite of what I said above, immature and mature chickens often intermingle pretty well once they get used to each other. Some can be real brutes and bullies though, individual personalities come into play. My pullets normally make their way into the pecking order and stop this behavior about the time they start to lay so you may be close.

I’m not sure how you are managing the mornings when they wake up together, but I’d keep doing what you are doing. The pullet needs a predator proof place to sleep. Separating the aggressor is a good thing, don’t be too quick to put them back together as long as you can do that considering predators. A day or two isolation may affect her aggressiveness since it messes with the pecking order.

Introducing a lone chicken and her being a pullet both make it a bit more challenging, but with patience and some work you can do it. Good luck!

Thanks for the info. They have a 12x12 dog kennel to be in during the day and I free range them in the after noon. When I free range them all together there is no issues at all. It’s only when they are cooped up in the run. I guess they get distracted and forget about the new chicken. I will add some perches and places for her to get up and away from them. The new hen clings to me when I’m arround so I can pertect here. She always wants to jump up on me when I go see them. She’s very friendly which will make her even more of a target.