i've introduced 2 new chickens into the flock over a month ago and they still aren't getting along. heads are being pecked and i don't want anyone to get hurt. any advice?
When they learn their place, the pecking will decrease. Do you have roosts that are all one level? If you do, this creates a situation where the lesser hens are having to roost next to and on the same level as the higher ranking hens....this creates more problems for them. Set up roosts where the lesser hens can roost below and away from pecking reach of the others and it may help things. For feeding, feed in a trough that is long enough that the new hens can eat without being pecked away from the feeder. Then feed in meals, so that the other chickens are too busy getting their food to bother driving the new ones away from the feed. Put some roost bars or stumps out in your run so the new hens can get up and away from the other hens. All of these things can help. But, in the end, that's the social life of chickens, particularly when they are all penned together and cannot get away from the others.
Causes are......too hot, too crowded, short of fresh air, lack of protein in diet or the coop is too brightly lit....... Look at your management and adjust things as needed...... Cheers!
In your cryptic post, meaning very little information, it sounds as if things are entirely normal. If all they're doing is occasionally pecking someone on the head, that's what chickens in a flock do to reinforce their ranks. If, on the other hand, there are continuous knock down drag out battles with neck feathers flaring and feet thrust out as the combatants got at each other, you may be looking at inadequate space for the number of chickens you're keeping. Tempers flare and confrontations increase as space becomes limited.
How does your run look? A big flat open spot? Set up some pallets, lean them against the wall, set one up on saw horses, set a roost up kitty corner. This allows birds to be out in the fresh air, but out of sight of each other. This allows a higher level bird to take a stance, and a lower birds to get out of sight. Will really help. However, if your new birds are much younger, they will be a sub flock until they begin to lay. Then they will be one flock. Mrs k
