/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

bloodshed and introduction

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by jensenjeffc, Nov 22, 2012.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Nov 22, 2012 #1
    jensenjeffc

    jensenjeffc New Egg

    1
    0
    7
    Nov 17, 2012
    Fort Collins CO
    OK we are newbies...last Sunday we purchased a flock of four and a coop. All of these hens are the same age about a year and a half. Yesterday I purchased 2 more about 14 months old.

    I brought them home about 8:30 in the morning and kept them in a separate pen next to the main coop until about 3:30. I then added them to the main run. The fighting began immediately. Last night all seemed OK, no blood and they all went into the coop together.

    This morning I witnessed one of the new hens being pined to the ground. I went out to check on them and observed one of the new ones has the back of her comb picked off and bleeding. I have he new ones isolated again.

    Here are the questions...NOW WHAT? Now I'm sure all of you experienced chicken wranglers can come up with at least 15 questions I have. Please answer at will.
     
  3. Nov 22, 2012 #2
    they'reHISchickens

    they'reHISchickens Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,525
    19
    171
    Oct 31, 2008
    Reading
    A day is not nearly long enough to quarantine the new birds or for the groups to become acquainted. Ideally you should isolate new birds for a month to ensure everyone's health. Then have the two groups side by side separated by a fence for another week or two until they really get used to each other.
    This is a problem every time we all get new birds. do some searches on new bird introduction and find a million ways to deal with it. Sometimes it goes better than others. It depends upon the birds attitudes and how many hiding places you have for the picked upon. Please keep any bleeding bird separated. The others WILL kill a bleeding bird.
     
  5. Nov 22, 2012 #3
    salt and pepper

    salt and pepper Chillin' With My Peeps

    2,249
    48
    163
    Oct 21, 2012
    North Georgia Mountains
    if possible put the pen with the newbies inside the pen with the original flock, this way they really are in the flock, but can't get hurt.
    I always liked the way of free ranging them together every day for a week. then trying to put them together, when they are free ranging the new ones can get away in need be until the pecking order is established. good luck!
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by