bossy or bullying?????

[lounsi]

Hi we have bought two new girls yesterday a white Sussex and a rohde rock when we put them in to the 3warrens and 2white stars there was a big scuffle and commotion. We kept an eye over a few all slept together fine the new girls are sticking it out together they seem to not bother as much with the Sussex nut are quite horrible to the rohde rock. The 5 girls have only been in there for 3weeks so im unsure whether they are saying we were here first its our space telling the new girls who's boss or its just plain bullying cant understand why they have took more to the Sussex than the rohde rock?????

 

[TwoCrows]

You can't just dump new birds into an existing flock. There is a pecking order in all flocks that must be adhered to by all members. So when you put these new birds in with the original flock, this flock was trying to get the order back.

New birds need to be introduced slowly over several weeks. Keep the new birds in a fenced off area or caged, but within the flock so everybody sees, but nobody touches. This will not only give quarantine time for the new birds, but allow the original flock to work out some of the pecking order. Come mixing day a few weeks later, there is minimal if any fighting and nobody got hurt. Always watch for the first week and intervene if it turns bloody.

Good luck with your new birds and welcome to BYC!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! TwoCrows gave you good advice, introducing new chickens to a flock needs to be done slowly and carefully, there are also some good articles in the Learning Center on integrating new birds, here is a nice one that has a number of methods at the end. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[gander007]

 

[Tuhmu]

and good luck with all your poultry adventures!

Agreed, sounds like they are re-establishing the pecking order.