Bully older flock is affecting new hens; new hens don’t mix and won’t go into coop at night

[Chickenclaude]

What about when you're not there?

You can only control what you see. Chickens aren’t the smartest of animals. Set up food where newbies can eat without being bothered even if it means that you watch them. As another poster said, put a second feeder out of view? It will take time for them to adjust. It took MONTHS for mine to move to a new house. I was forced to get new homes for my roosters and that cut down on bullying by hens. Good luck.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Did you ever build them a bigger coop?

 

[ForensicNurse]

I introduced the new hens as 2-3 week old chicks in a separate penned area in the run for several weeks. The original flock could see them, but didn’t really take any care/notice of them that I saw.
The coop is 12x12 with lots of roosting bars and nesting boxes. The new hens can get to the roosting bars, and do go there during the day to avoid getting picked on.
The run is 12x15 with a ramp leading into the coop and a door that we open and close to allow day free range in the pasture. The new hens go out to free range sometimes, until an older hen chases them back into the run. When the old flock comes into the coop at night the new ones head to the run, there are places to roost, but the new hens all hang together and won’t sleep in the coop at night.

You could split the koop down the middle and the run as well with simple chicken wire. Move one of your roosters over (or not) and let them co-exist peacefully.?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

OP has not been back since Oct. of 2021.