- Jun 10, 2011
- 11
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I finally figured out how to post something here! My dilemma is this.... We finished our coop and got 2 Rhode Island Reds (we were told they were approx. 4 mos. old) and on the same day from another farm, 2 Black Copper Marans (supposedly the same age). The Reds were double the size of the Marans, but as it turns out they are all the best of friends (after a couple of days of fussing). So, we were enjoying the 4 chickens so much that we decided to add 2 more and went to another farm to get 2 "barn yard" chickens (they were supposedly also approx. 4 mos. old). The first 3 days were horrible as the Reds (and the Marans sometimes too) were cornering the newbies and really beating them up. It's been a week now and the beatings have stopped, but the "Fab Four" totally exclude the two new ones and run them off if they are in the same vicinity. My husband extended the run to add a whole new section and added more roost space in the coop to give them all more room to avoid each other, which seems to have helped tremendously! We also had to put multiple feeders and water around so the new ones could eat and drink. My question is.... Will the new chickens ever stop being so scared of me and the other chickens? Will they ever be a happy bunch that hang out together? This has been very stressful to me and we have considered taking the two new ones back. The first four are very friendly and let me pick them up (sometimes). I hate to see the two new ones being outcasts!! Thanks in advance for any help!