Combining hens???

[mtn_penny]

I took the advice of many on here to add these 5 hens to my main flock at night after they go to roost. That was 2 days ago. The first morning there had be a squabble as 2 of the hens had peck marks on their heads. I doctored them with some Peck No More by Rooster Booster. This morning again one has been pecked so I put some more stuff on her. Now this afternoon when I gathered eggs she is still getting pecked.

They have plenty of space.... 19 hens in a 10 x 10 coop with a 10 x 10 flight area. The main flock ages about 16 months old and the new ones are 6 months.

So what should I be doing to help everyone get along? I really want them all in the same coop since the younger ones are just starting to lay.

HELP!!!

thanks
mtnpenny

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

How many do you have in the main flock?

You can try putting a wire fence in the run and letting them see each other for a few days and then let them be together.

They will peck the new chickens to establish a new pecking order, as long as it doesn't get out of hand the new hens will be fine.

 

[mtn_penny]

There are 14 in the older flock with the 5 younger ones. They have been in a adjacent coop where they could see and smell each other.
I knew there would be some squabbles over pecking order (no pun intended). So do I just keep putting the peck no more on her? or is there something else that works better?

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

It sounds like you are doing everything properly.

You can try putting one are two of the main flock hens with the new hens so that they establish a pecking order with the new ones on top, and then add one more main hen a day until they are all together. I do that if I have an uneven amount of new hens to old hens.

 

[mtn_penny]

That is a good idea. I think I will give it a couple more days and then if we are still having issues I will try and figure out how to seperate to combine a few at a time.

 

[welasharon]

I introduced one (not the best number!) to a flock of four. At first they would run her down and stomp on her. I put her in a wire dog kennel for a few days during the day (at night they let her roost with them). I put some extra things in the pen so she could get up off the ground away from them with water and food up for her. The other day after a couple weeks I noticed she was on the ground in the middle of them eating and scratching. I had just given up and decide to build her her own space.
sharon