Adding younger, smaller pullets.

[downtownjb80]

I have an old flock of 4 hens just over a year old. 2 days ago I added 5 younger smaller birds a few weeks away from laying. I know for a few days they are going to fight, when they are a distance from each other they are OK but if one of the smaller ones strays too close to the big girls there is carnage. I have a big garden so there is space for them to stay away from each other when they are free ranging but is this helping? Should they be closer to each other in the run so they can work out their differences?

 

[ECBW]

Have you tried the stranger in the night?

After dark, the birds will all be very compliant, put them all in the roost in the same coop. There would be some pecking for pecking order, but they should wake up a lot more friendlier and no fights to the death.

Just be up before dawn to observe and intevene if necessary.

 

[downtownjb80]

Tried that the first night, still a lot of aggression towards the new little ones as soon as it was light enough to see them.

 

[Urban Chick]

Hi - I'm a former Jersey girl turned chicken lover in NC. My small flock is down to 1 lonely hen (not yet a year old). I have 2 new pullets that I'd like to add. Should I try the stranger in the night? My single hen seems so lonley but the 2 young ones (8 weeks) seem like children. Would love your thoughts.
Urban Chick

 

[real_redhead]

@urban chick
I had a similar situation, I had one older girl who was over a year old, I was able to introduce 3 new girls to her when they were about 9 weeks old. I kept the older one in a cat carrier in the coop at night for 4-5 days and then let them roost together and there was some pecking but it wasn't so bad. On the other hand when I got a lot more chicks I am still having trouble with the older one and the new ones, they are about 11 weeks old now and she pecks them off the roost everynight. I have to go out each night when it is time for them to go in and referee them!

 

[ECBW]

Guess what? I got a chance to practice what I preach.

Last week, a fellow hobbyist lost his flock but one to predators. I brought this bird in at 11pm and placed it on the roost with my existing 7.

I got up before sun rise to observed. They woke up and groggily jumped off the roosts. They did recognize the new bird and some facing-off ensued to re-shuffle the pecking order. Guess who is at the bottom.

There are feathers from the new bird all over the coop and run as some birds are still nipping at the new bird, but nothing serious.

Free-ranging together helps the bonding process.

Some may suggest quarantine the new bird and it would be a wise move. I did not because I know the source and true condition of the bird.

Side bar, this new bird has a deformed beak. It criss-crosses so the halves grew apart instead of to a point. We trimmed it and it is doing better.