Last Friday my family went to a poultry auction and came home with six birds: two large pullets that I think may be orpingtons, and four Rhode Island Whites because husband was at his limit of waiting for eggs.
I have the six new birds in a quarantine coop away from our main flock. Yesterday I gave them baths, the pullets first. When I added the first RIW she immediately attacked the pullets and injured a comb. So I separated them. This morning I put out two separate feeders and opened the little access door so they could mingle. When I checked on them later there were two RIWs on a nesting box with a pullet pinned underneath them.
The pullets are bigger than the hens, and they all slept in side-by-side dog crates while I was finishing the coop. Are the RIWs just that aggressive? I feel bad that the pullets don't have as much room to scratch around.
I have the six new birds in a quarantine coop away from our main flock. Yesterday I gave them baths, the pullets first. When I added the first RIW she immediately attacked the pullets and injured a comb. So I separated them. This morning I put out two separate feeders and opened the little access door so they could mingle. When I checked on them later there were two RIWs on a nesting box with a pullet pinned underneath them.
The pullets are bigger than the hens, and they all slept in side-by-side dog crates while I was finishing the coop. Are the RIWs just that aggressive? I feel bad that the pullets don't have as much room to scratch around.