Adding pullets to the flock. Will the battle end?

[Litchfieldgirls]

Yum,........lol!:

 

[Sassyhens1]

Update with one more question. Everyone is pretty civilized at this point. The reds still will not let the orps on the roosts at night. They sleep on straw in the corner. The dog crate has been gone for some time now. However we have decided to sell 5 red hens (my coop is too small). Question is which hens do I get rid of? The lower pecking order or higher? Or maybe it will not matter.

 

[aart]

I would get rid of the more aggressive ones...tho sometimes subordinates can get mean once their oppressors are removed.

 

[Sassyhens1]

Ugh, so torn. I assumed it would be something like that. I hate to get rid of my biggest egg layers. Was hoping to off the little scrawny ones.

 

[Litchfieldgirls]

Hi Sassy,
So go with your gut, and off the scrawnies, there will always be dominance, one way or the other. If you off your dominants the pecking order will probably rearrange itself, but there will always be meanies, it's the nature of the beast.......
J.

 

[aart]

Ugh, so torn. I assumed it would be something like that. I hate to get rid of my biggest egg layers. Was hoping to off the little scrawny ones.

Get rid of the ones you want to get rid of...... very hard to project what will happen once your flock is reduced.

Hi Sassy,
So go with your gut, and off the scrawnies, there will always be dominance, one way or the other. If you off your dominants the pecking order will probably rearrange itself, but there will always be meanies, it's the nature of the beast.......
J.

Litchfieldgirls makes a good points here^^^

 

[Sassyhens1]

Thank you both

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

As far as integration into the coop, I used a dark room integration. It worked well and makes sense.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1008484/dark-room-integration

 

[Sassyhens1]

Aart I took your advice and Litchfieldgirls too. Got rid of my boss hen and four of the smallest. Almost instantly they were polite to each other. My lavenders are actually on roosts for the first time ever. I went out to the coop with a flashlight like a freak to spy on them!! Whew, chickens really do need time to integrate. My coop is only 4x6 with 3 roosting bars. This was just too crowded for 15. Maybe in the spring I will add a second coop and give a go at hatching a few eggs. My husband thinks I'm crazy. Lol

 

[Litchfieldgirls]

Mine too.....lol. Wait til you get to 29! ....making the coop bigger tomorrow!
Like potato chips.......