- May 29, 2019
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Hello,
Over our first year and a half of chicken-keeping, we've had several illnesses/injuries that ended up splitting our flock due to re-integration issues. We had 5 girls in our large coop/run and then 2 hens who had healed from long-term issues in a smaller coop/run alongside the main one. One of the two is our lovely BO, "Glory," who was found badly bleeding after we first tried to reintegrate her. When one of her flock mates went through a bumble foot ordeal, they ended up being roomies in a separate coop and all ways harmonious (we call them "Thelma and Louise" because they'd stick together like glue).
After free ranging a bunch over this summer, we finally felt confident enough to put the 2 girls back into the main coop. Often, they'd choose to hang out in the big coop while free-ranging anyway, and I thought that maybe they missed it there and wanted to be back. All went a lot more smoothly (no injuries, bleeding, or missing feathers), however my poor BO is again the target of low-key but persistent bullying--persistent enough that she hasn't laid in 4 or 5 days since the move, and I've had to add an extra feeder out there to make sure she's not deterred from eating. While they don't team up on her like the first go-round, she's constantly getting put in her place by each hen (except her partner), whether she sidles up to drink or eat, or if she just happens to wander by one and it's feeling bratty. It's gotta be stressful on her. She's so big and sweet but she sticks out like a sore thumb among the others.
To top this off, while Glory was in the little coop/run with her friend, they got in the habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes, even though there were roosts available. We'd put them on and they'd hop off and curl up together in the box. Now that they're back in the big coop, Glory is always sleeping alone in the nesting boxes while the others are all roosting. I don't know if it's a habit, skittishness, or that she's getting bullied, or a bit of everything. There is plenty of roosting space available.
I feel so sorry for re-integrating, but we were hoping to have them together for the winter AND also have our smaller coop/run freed up for emergencies/weird scenarios (which abound when you have chickens!). Any tips on helping with the stress and getting her comfortable/laying again? We've been thinking of adding a rooster due to predator issues, and to keep flock harmony. Or, perhaps I should keep them divided.
Over our first year and a half of chicken-keeping, we've had several illnesses/injuries that ended up splitting our flock due to re-integration issues. We had 5 girls in our large coop/run and then 2 hens who had healed from long-term issues in a smaller coop/run alongside the main one. One of the two is our lovely BO, "Glory," who was found badly bleeding after we first tried to reintegrate her. When one of her flock mates went through a bumble foot ordeal, they ended up being roomies in a separate coop and all ways harmonious (we call them "Thelma and Louise" because they'd stick together like glue).
After free ranging a bunch over this summer, we finally felt confident enough to put the 2 girls back into the main coop. Often, they'd choose to hang out in the big coop while free-ranging anyway, and I thought that maybe they missed it there and wanted to be back. All went a lot more smoothly (no injuries, bleeding, or missing feathers), however my poor BO is again the target of low-key but persistent bullying--persistent enough that she hasn't laid in 4 or 5 days since the move, and I've had to add an extra feeder out there to make sure she's not deterred from eating. While they don't team up on her like the first go-round, she's constantly getting put in her place by each hen (except her partner), whether she sidles up to drink or eat, or if she just happens to wander by one and it's feeling bratty. It's gotta be stressful on her. She's so big and sweet but she sticks out like a sore thumb among the others.
To top this off, while Glory was in the little coop/run with her friend, they got in the habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes, even though there were roosts available. We'd put them on and they'd hop off and curl up together in the box. Now that they're back in the big coop, Glory is always sleeping alone in the nesting boxes while the others are all roosting. I don't know if it's a habit, skittishness, or that she's getting bullied, or a bit of everything. There is plenty of roosting space available.
I feel so sorry for re-integrating, but we were hoping to have them together for the winter AND also have our smaller coop/run freed up for emergencies/weird scenarios (which abound when you have chickens!). Any tips on helping with the stress and getting her comfortable/laying again? We've been thinking of adding a rooster due to predator issues, and to keep flock harmony. Or, perhaps I should keep them divided.