Hope you can help me please about 6 weeks ago we had 4 x 14 week old Hens (not battery) - no problems with them they have a large house and coop but we let them into the garden when we are at home which they love. 10 days ago we went along to coventry and collected 4 ex battery hens. My husband made a fence accross the coop for seperation as recommended so they could see one another. They did not come out much the first day as expected. The next day we let our non battery hens into the garden and let the ex batts have the coop all to themselves. Right from the off there was one (the scrawy-ist) who was extremely nervious around the other ex-batts and took himself off into the large hen house - when he did come out he was pecked by the other ex batts....... we have had to get another small house just for this one hen who seems to be the one everyone will pick on. I am gradually letting the other ex batts around her but she just runs round like idiot when they come anywhere near her, she is still being pecked. Tryed to let her have the large garden with the non ex batt hens and they also went for her quite viciously. So that idea was shortlived! We have not let them mix yet (with the non batt hens) We can see the scrawy ones feathers coming back now which is great (giving her lots of tlc) but dont know how to handle the intergration and would be very grateful I ideas, or recommendations please
It took mine three weeks together to stop quarreling, and these were two groups of good health hens about 18 weeks old. Yours probably need a lot more time to get used to just having the space they have. Give your little one a place to hide when she is with the others, make sure there is plenty of food and water. I think time and patience is the answer. Sometimes I think their own actions make the others pick on them. A running chicken is a target for everybody. Good luck.
