Chicken Introductions Not Going Well, Only 3 chickens involved! 🙁

[Henny Penney]

This is about just 3 little OEG bantams - will they ever get along? Any ideas?
(I’ve had more problems starting over with chickens than 40+ years of raising them!)

Had our first pair for 3 1/2 months until the rooster decided I was a threat & attacked me if I made what he perceived as a threatening move. He is living elsewhere now. I’ve never had an aggressive rooster before.

I miraculously found another pair to buy. After 3 days in a divided pen everything seemed to go well, the single hen and new pair were eating practically head to head on opposite sides of the chicken wire, eveyone was relaxed, no posturing through the divider, etc., so we introduced them yesterday. (I know 3 days is not long, but it’s only a few chickens & we don’t have a good place for the new ones to sleep. I move them into the house, putting hen #1 in a cage and reversing the process early in morning, not a sustainable protocol for me, or them).

All went well most the day, a few pecks here and there to establish who was who, but mostly just hanging out together peacefully. Then, toward end of day hen #1 mercilessly and relentlessly chased the new hen. The rooster first sided with the “other”, then “his” hen. I always thought a rooster would interfere in a hen fight and bring peace! Not this guy!

So now they are divided again. I’m wondering if hen #1 will every accept #2 and how will I know without risking putting them together again.

The only time I ever had a hen get picked on by other hens was when I didn’t have a rooster for awhile and a weak, sickly hen, who I care for separately, the other hens eventually got to when I was at work and killed, so my experience with hen bullying is limited and horrible.
Thank you for replies.
Penney

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Could take a long while. You are basically waiting until they all forget they don't know each other. You could try putting the rooster with the other hen or try putting both hens together. Personally I like to be conservative and take my time. Introducing adults can be the hardest. Spring is also the season of surging hormones, so fighting can be worse.

 

[Henny Penney]

Could take a long while. You are basically waiting until they all forget they don't know each other. You could try putting the rooster with the other hen or try putting both hens together. Personally I like to be conservative and take my time. Introducing adults can be the hardest. Spring is also the season of surging hormones, so fighting can be worse.

Thank you for your comment. The rooster with the other hen would be just fine with them, but I'm afraid they would both bully the new one, that's what happened briefly yesterday. He is already wishy-washy and pecks the hen he came with even when they are by themselves. The 2 hens together would be a disaster, hen #1 was very aggressive, after initially being okay with it.

I don't think they'll forget they know each other! they are sharing a small divided pen, as you can see in the photo, and I have no other place to put them. We will give them more time, it's just hard because everyone would have better accommodations if they'd get along! One hen has a nice house, the other two have no indoor space at all, the person we got them from said they roosted outside, but it's still wintery and I have never had chickens roost out. We are trying to figure out how to let them do that and be protected.

Now I'm regretting we decided to have chickens again, it was easier before, but I was younger, pen was bigger, and only a few times in 40+ yrs did I need to introduce a new chicken or 2.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You picked what I think is a challenging breed. I tried games once, but they are a bit too feisty for me. I keep bantam cochins. They still can squabble but are easier to keep.

I would recommend separate penning for at least 2 weeks, and it will probably take longer unfortunately.

 

[Henny Penney]

Thanks. Don’t know how we can do that. Unless they go live with very old Muscovy, which doesn’t sound like a compatible arrangement either.

I raised OEG for 46/47 years. I never thought of them as feisty or difficult! I had some of the sweetest roosters over those years and some tame hens. Mostly they we’re just chickens doing chicken stuff together! I’d have tried something else but OEG is what I could find.

 

[aart]

I know 3 days is not long, but it’s only a few chickens

It's actually harder with just a few birds, less distraction and fewer targets.

 

[Henny Penney]

An update: everyone is getting along, less than 2 weeks from when we brought home the pair to introduce to single hen. They free ranged a few times and seemed to feel more comfortable. Fingers crossed, hen #1, Hazel, still pecks Sparkle, #2, but that is to be expected. It hasn't been aggressive chasing and pecking.

 

[Mrs. K]

If you are still separating them for periods, switch who goes into which space often, that way they get comfortable in the whole set up.

 

[Henny Penney]

By the day's end Hazel began her aggressive attacks, a little bit when out but more when they were in, I guess it will be a period of time where they will be together when out and not when in. Sigh!

 

[907poultry]

Try putting both hens together in a foreign space, they tend to get uncomfortable, lonely, and realize being together is better than being alone. Usually works for me with any particularly stubborn/mean animal, but it could be too stressful for them.
We had a white layer who hated our pekin with a passion, she would make her sleep all alone while the main flock sun bathed. They were raised together, but my Pekin was 3 weeks younger. Finally after some feather pulling and my Pekin sleeping sad and alone, I brought them both away from the flock for some “bonding” time. Once mean girl couldn’t find the flock (she was the only one panicking, pekin was chilling with me) she admitted defeat and snuggled up to the pekin. Had them forage together for a bit. WL still didn’t like her much but no one sides fights.

Works for chickens, but they are a bit less flock-oriented than ducks so it may take a little longer. I have to get me some OEGB, there’s someone who breeds them not far away.