Chickens killed new chicken what's next for my flock?

[EggCrazy42]

So I posted a while ago about introducing my one EE to my flock of 3 ISA Browns. I did it slow and although they seemed to peck her once in a while, no one had been hurt. Well this morning I checked on the girls and everyone seemed ok, but when I got home from work the 3 ISA Browns had killed her... Today was day 4 in the same coup. I'm SO bummed and not sure what this means for my flock. Will they always kill whoever I try to introduce? Are ISA Browns mean chickens? I just have a backyard flock.
The EE had been in a dog create in the coop for a month before I let them all interact. Ugh I'm so bummed can someone tell me what this means for future chicks? Will they kill them or start to peck each other to death?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. That is disheartening.

What were the age differences between the ISA's and the EE?

Are you positive it was the ISA's that killed the EE?

If you had a big age difference, then yes, the flock could pick on a little bird to death...flock dynamics with any intruder...it is how the flock survives.

I never integrate just one bird but integrate in pairs so they can always buddy system. Also, always have a hiding place for the little bird that the others can't get to.

LofMc

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Next time get some chicks, they are easier to introduce to an existing flock at around 8 weeks, it's nearly impossible to introduce a single bird that's an adult, they actually did what instinct tells, drive off any adult competition. I find sex link birds to be a bit bossy and aggressive towards other chickens. You also have to make sure you have enough room, chickens can be aggressive if crowded as well, sorry you had to have this happen, I wouldn't have put an adult with them that they hadn't been near for quite a while, days was not long enough, weeks or even months.

 

[EggCrazy42]

Thanks for the responses! I'm sure the ISAs killed the EE, and I had set up hiding spots with roosts and logs in the run, I actually found her in a hiding spot dead. My coop is 6'X6' by 5 feet tall with an attached run that is 12'X6' and 6' tall, so I was thinking big enough to handle 4 birds. The ISAs were born this March and the EE was born in May. The EE was in a dog crate in the run since July, trying to intergrate. I added additional food and water too.

Do you guys think that I'll always have trouble now trying to add to the ISAs.. Like because they got the taste of it or something?

 

[shortgrass]

Wow I don't know about that! I would definitely not do a single one again so sorry for your loss!

I agree that chicks would be better...maybe, yikes... More if them, so they can "confuse" and distract. It's a lot harder to chase and peck when there are a whole bunch and you can't remember who you were picking on

That stinks; I've never heard of a specific breed being overly aggressive except for games, and of course roosters...

Might have to quarantine the ISAs next time instead of the new ones, incorporate backwards to negate that territory problem...

 

[chickengr]

So I posted a while ago about introducing my one EE to my flock of 3 ISA Browns. I did it slow and although they seemed to peck her once in a while, no one had been hurt. Well this morning I checked on the girls and everyone seemed ok, but when I got home from work the 3 ISA Browns had killed her... Today was day 4 in the same coup. I'm SO bummed and not sure what this means for my flock. Will they always kill whoever I try to introduce? Are ISA Browns mean chickens? I just have a backyard flock.
The EE had been in a dog create in the coop for a month before I let them all interact. Ugh I'm so bummed can someone tell me what this means for future chicks? Will they kill them or start to peck each other to death?

isa browns are sweet girls but jealous. you must introduce more birds at the time and also spare some time to spend with them and talk to them when you introduce new birds if I take some chicken to check for anything my isa brown immediately comes and starts pecking it. when I tell her I love her too, she stops. sounds lunatic but that is what I do and it works.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Your dimensions seem very adequate for 4 birds. Generally it is 4 sq feet per bird for coop, 10 sq feet per bird for run.

A May chick would have been 3 1/2 months old compared to 5 1/2 month old ISA hybrids.. an EE generally matures more slowly compared to hybrids that grow quickly...My GSL's are nearly double my slower maturing Isbar at the same ages and noticeably larger than my Barnevelders. Breed makes a big difference in maturity. That could make for a significant difference in size and enough to trigger the "pack" mentality among an assertive flock. If the EE was significantly different in color, that also can flag a bird for hazing, and if it was bearded/muffed that could make a difference as well.

I actually do much better with full size birds than smaller chicks for integrating into an established flock, especially if I have some "cranky" gals...the littles can get really picked on by the big birds...and my banties were hazed horribly by some in the large fowl flock. (I actually got rid of the nastier ones as that kind of aggression is not allowed in my flock...the kind where they hold the bird down and continue to peck on her....chest bumping, short foot chases, a bit of posturing is to be expected...but never holding a bird down to pound on it or draw blood.).

While some of this can be definitely explained by flock dynamics, and introducing a single smaller bird among them, it does show your ISA's are assertive birds. Laid back or less secure birds would have been more fearful than aggressive...huddled together in one corner while the newcomer(s) were huddled in the other ..so if you choose to later bring in more birds, I would integrate in 2 or 3 of nearly same size to the flock. I highly recommend that you separate them with side by side runs with fence exposure for at least a week, two being better...and never add much smaller and never just one bird. It can take up to a month to slowly, carefully integrate new birds...I like to do it with fence exposure first, then free range exposure that has lots of room and hiding places, but everybody going back to their separate roost areas, after a week with free range together, somebody usually has broken the ice and gone to roost together and they are soon all integrated...if not, I will place the newer birds in the coop at night by my calmest birds and they wake up integrated with only a few mild tussles the next day or two.

it's not a question that your ISA's got a "taste" but rather their behavior may indicate temperaments of assertive birds who want to strongly hold the flock integrity. Most Red Sexlinks/ISA type birds are calm and laid back, but some lines can be pretty aggressive. Other birds roll with the ebb and flow of new birds coming in and you get nothing more than a couple of mild tussles and chest pumping shows. It really depends on the chemistry of your flock...never be afraid to cull or re-home any bird you feel is too aggressive....it just isn't worth the heartache of not.

LofMc