Blending

[Stevie coop]

Hello. I am somewhat of a new chicken owner. I love my girls. I have 5 laying hens that are 1 now. I have 1 old hen that we adopted. We call her fluffy. I received 2 new chicks this spring. 1 did not make it. The other is now 25 weeks old. I am trying to blend her in with the flock. I started at 20 weeks. I put her small coop in our larger coop. Large coop is about 10ftx 15ft. She's been in the small coop for 5 weeks. For the last week I've been slowly trying to blend her with the rest of the girls. They do not like her. She is terrified of them. I have tried letting everyone out to free range at the same time, they attacked and chased her off. I have tried letting her go first or the older hens go first. I have tried to just let them deal and work it out. She gets very distressed and paces and fly's at the fence to get out. I am starting to worry that I will have to get rid of her. Is there any advice? I now have 2 Rhode island reds in the small coop, 2 americaunas in the big coop house. I have the white chicken leghorn something is her breed alone with the new chick because she hasn't attacked her yet. And I had the fluffy old girl go free range to keep her grouchy butt away from the baby. So all hens are paired and locked away for the night. I figure if I jail them for a night then maybe if I let them out late morning they will maybe be nice? Please help!!!

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

For your birds.... since your old sweet girl is trying to escape and just terrified I would sit with her and the flock and hold her. Just let her see there is nothing to be afraid of. I know you said they were picking on her which they will do, but if they have left her alone and she is just afraid now that's what I would try. It could also just be certain birds.. My old BPR is the sweetest. My RIR and Australorp are the Queens/Boss and have no tolerance. They are the 2 that make blood run in the coop. My BPR even though she is older, she will tolerate the young hens to a degree.

Some birds just don't mix well. It depends on the birds personality. I have 3 older birds (5-10 years old) and 12 that are 6 months - but physically as big as my old birds. I have done the same thing and they will not mingle well. I let them all see each other, but no touching in another coop area. I have been doing this for months now.. The older birds are used to free ranging and when they free range they are ok with other chickens.. cooped up right now (due to fox issue) they literally vicious. I let them out (and the old girls ARE used to having a rooster). Well, let me tell you the first thing my oldest hen did was jump up grab that rooster by his comb (who is about 8 or so inches taller then her) and rip his face to the ground. I have never witnessed such a thing in my life. She would not let go, then grabbed another hen and everyone (except me lol) is running around screaming now and I'm pulling hens off each other with bloody marks. It was basically a really bad 'cat fight' .. they were biting and pulling on feathers like a woman would another woman's hair, bloody combs, just vicious. My old hens just feel they are pre-established I guess while the young hens do nothing. They literally are just there not trying to fight or peck the old hens. With me and each other the older birds are fine. I can wear flip flops and bright red painted toe nails and they do not care or notice.. running up to me sweetly. They are boss birds I've decided and will free range once fox is gone.

My old hens are just too vicious and literally go around attacking all my young birds. If they free range they are fine.. I have done it many times before.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!
Adding single bird is the hardest integration.

I have the white chicken leghorn something is her breed alone with the new chick because she hasn't attacked her yet.

This is what I was going to suggest. Leave these 2 together for a week or 2 to form a bond. Then add another more docile bird in with these 2, maybe while ranging.
Just keep separating and mixing and matching who is with whom.
The new girl won't work her way int the main pecking order until she starts to lay, which at 20 weeks, may be soon.

More info on your coops and runs would help,
sizes in feet by feet, and pics, would help immensely.

 

[Shorty22366]

I have 6 8 mo silkies, 7 4 mo sebrights, 23 6 week old polish, favorellas, Jersey giants, cochrin and bantams and 4 3 week olds. I just integrated all. My silkie roo Ben is very protective of small ones. The older ones peck the small ones to show them they are on bottom of pecking order. I also have Butch another silkie roo and him and Ben are brothers and stick together He helps Ben protect babies. I did the see no touch in the coop for 2 weeks. I know roos aren't always great with chicks but I am blessed my boys keep everyone under control. Maybe that rooster is just bad and needs to be chicken and pastry. Lots of good roosters out there. My boys are very gentle with the older girls also. They should have dinner and get them another rooster.

 

[Stevie coop]

Welcome to BYC!
Adding single bird is the hardest integration.

This is what I was going to suggest. Leave these 2 together for a week or 2 to form a bond. Then add another more docile bird in with these 2, maybe while ranging.
Just keep separating and mixing and matching who is with whom.
The new girl won't work her way int the main pecking order until she starts to lay, which at 20 weeks, may be soon.

More info on your coops and runs would help,
sizes in feet by feet, and pics, would help immensely.

I have 6 8 mo silkies, 7 4 mo sebrights, 23 6 week old polish, favorellas, Jersey giants, cochrin and bantams and 4 3 week olds. I just integrated all. My silkie roo Ben is very protective of small ones. The older ones peck the small ones to show them they are on bottom of pecking order. I also have Butch another silkie roo and him and Ben are brothers and stick together He helps Ben protect babies. I did the see no touch in the coop for 2 weeks. I know roos aren't always great with chicks but I am blessed my boys keep everyone under control. Maybe that rooster is just bad and needs to be chicken and pastry. Lots of good roosters out there. My boys are very gentle with the older girls also. They should have dinner and get them another rooster.

 

[Stevie coop]

My coop is about 20ft x 15ft. The house with boxes as 4ftx 6ft.
I placed a small coop in their and it's 2ft.x6ft.
I have 2 hens in the small coop. 3 hens in the house part of the coop. Then my white leghorn in the coop yard with my young chick. Those 2 are getting along as of today. Figured I could keep it like this for a few days and then move some hens around to try adding maybe 1 more. It's hard with it being 111° out.