Hello out there

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biofreak14

biofreak14

Hatching
Aug 8, 2015
3
0
7
Yorkshire, UK
hello, I'm new to the site, but have been keeping chickens for a couple of years. Only have a small flock.

I've just got two new hens to introduce to our other two girls and it's not going well!! Not had a problem with introductions before (aside from the usual). It's only been a week but the new girls are refusing to come out of the coop. If we do evict them as soon as any pecking order shenanigans happen they fly on to the coop roof and won't come down. I'm worried about them dehydrating and not feeding. Any advise?
The girls (strawberry blonde, speckled Jim, blue and princess layer) have access to a coop and large run roughly 5x2m
 
You need to put up a wire partition established flock on one side, new birds on the other. Have separate food and water so no one gets bullied away. Partition the coop as well. After due time (sometimes a few weeks) your bullies will get used to seeing the new birds and you can allow them together with supervision. If they still act up you can either put them in crates for a time out (maybe a few days) with food & water, when they go back - they should have slipped down a notch or two on the pecking order.

Otherwise I think you should get "pinless peepers," for each & every bully. It prevents them from seeing straight ahead so throws them off target, and they will probably be upset enough to forget about attacking the newer birds. You can put pinless peepers in the searchbox to check them out.

You may also want to check out "Integration issues." It's not fair for your newer birds to suffer so much stress.
 
I didn't realize your flock was so small. This should be easier than I thought. You would only need two pinless peepers for the bad girls. Shame on them. You really don't want the new girls to have the bad habit on hiding out on the roof of the coop. If they learn to sleep up there - they are sitting ducks for predators.
 
Welcome to BYC!

Either the "look but don't touch" method of integration or the pinless peepers should help the situation but either way I hope you had the new girls in isolation for 3-4 weeks before you mixed them in with your existing birds. You can also add extra feeders and waterers so all they all can spread out to eat and drink.

Good luck to you, thanks for joining us!
 
Thanks for the advice. Strange thing is there isn't any trouble when they're in the coop together, only outside. We've taken the decision to separate out a section of the run, so they can see each other but not get together, will try again in 2 weeks or so
 
welcome-byc.gif
glad to have you join us.

Good luck with integrating your flock.
 
Thank you for the welcomes,and again for the advise. Peace is raining between the girls, just the odd quick peck here and there. Blue is relaxed enough to give us her first egg today. Its a bit on the wee side, but I'm sure it'll make a fine omelette
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