Bully hen

[Mick or Mick]

I recently added two 3 month old chicks to my flock of two 1 year old hens, and I have a bully problem.

My older hens are Buff Orpingtons and have been together since hatching. Esther Jean is the top hen, but she rarely shows it.

The two newbies are from the same farm, but they are mutts.

On the advice of someone who integrates chickens many times a summer, I locked the two older hens out of the coop for the day and let the newbies get established. Then right before dusk I let them out to meet the older ones in the run vs and small space like the coop. All seemed fine the first night - they all slept on the same perch even.

The next morning all hell broke loose: squawking, wings flapping, lunging, chasing, you name it. It was all Esther Jean. I came on here to read about pecking order and bullying and learned about isolating the bully and letting the others get to know each other. Then bringing the bully in as "the newbie".

So I made a separate crate on the other side of the yard for Esther Jean and she stayed in it for 3 days. She can't see the flock and they can't see her. The other three were getting along fine. Last night I moved Esther Jean into the main coop after dark when everyone had gone to bed. When I looked in, they were all on the same perch again.

This morning we were back to square one and Esther Jean is back in her isolation crate. Did I move her in too soon? How long should I keep them separate?

 

[goldies99]

i think they young ones are still just too young, and they will get a beating....you can either put the young ones in a caged area so the others can see them....or esther jean in a cage, but keep her where all the others can see her and go around the cage..that way they get used to all seeing abd being around each other....i have always had good luck doing it that way...i think as the young ones get older they wont have such a hard time....good luck!

 

[Mick or Mick]

So I may be doing it backward. I thought I should take Esther Jean out of the equation, let the newbies get more confident, and then bring her back in. That's what I would do with cats, but maybe that's not right for chickens.

Thanks, Goldies.

Anyone else?

 

[goldies99]

i always let all the chickens see each other....with a cage between them!....that way they get to become more comfortable, but dont get beat up....with them only being 3 months you have a ways to go before they wont be so picked on...but i think its always best for them to be acquainted with a fence or cage....they are usually good to sleep together...they always settle down when the lights go out...but beware in the morning!.... if you could fence off a section in your run for the newbies until they become comfortable that would be good...make a little square in one corner, with some posts and chicken wire...as long as the others see them eventually it will all work out...i had 2 different hatching this year 3 weeks apart ending up with 16 little ones....along with my big chickens, the new hatched are in a separate coop next to the big coop, but all share the same open space in the day time....the babies get pecked when they try to join in for a treat or feeding...so its best for me to feed them in their own space...but all is really going well...