chicken pecking

[bonzomom]

HI I am new to chicken raising. We have 5 chickens around 2 years of age. We got them about 2 months ago. They have been doing really well they where all together when we bought them.
Laying about 3 to 5 eggs a day.Well we just about a week ago got 2 new chickens about the same age but a different kind and from a different flock. The old flock instantly began to peck the new ones. So we separated the 2 new chickens for a few days. They was still visible to the old flock but could not get to them.
We put them back into the flock and again 2 of the old chickens began to go at them again. Now the 2 pecking chickens are separated from the original flock and again they can be seen.
Since we took out the 2 pecking chickens the 2 new and the 3 old flock chickens have been doing really well. But our egg laying has dropped off we are only getting 4 eggs with 7 chickens.
So today we had to take the 2 pecking chickens out to clean the cage they are in and it started again just like before they are pecking the 2 new chickens and chasing them away from the water and food and the 2 chickens that we had put up 1 of them had been pecking the other one in the cage we had them in.
So now we have 5 chickens 2 new 3 old in one big coop together and the other 2 are in cages by them selves
What are we going to do I don't want to keep 2 chickens in 2 separate cages from now on so how can we. or can we get them to get along. We just want our happy flock back together.
Can some one please tell us what we need to do. We have 2 pecking chickens and then 1 pecks the other one when cage up.
Your help is greatly needed.
Thank you

 

[sdm1277]

Typically They Will Figure Out Their Pecking Order. But If You Have More Than 1 Rooster With A Small Flock You Will Have Problems.
As Far As Egg Laying, They Will Lay Less When Stressed. Also, Make Sure Your Feed Is At Least 16% Protein And/or Feed Them Meal Worms Or Crickets.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

They have to establish their "pecking order" so sooner or later you'll have to mix them together - they will peck each other and it will go on for awhile. You'll just need to monitor and make sure no one gets seriously hurt. You didn't mention any roosters, if there's more than one rooster in that size flock, all but one will probably have to go. I wrote a bit on introducing chickens here, that might help too: http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2010/01/18/introducing-new-chickens/
Egg production is probably down because the birds are all feeling a little stressed.