Help needed with integration

[Boo147]

I adopted a speckledy hen a couple of weeks ago. It's friend was a silver/lavender bluebell and was killed in a dog attack along with a small bantam cockerel that lived there. As the hen - Bluebell -was alone I was asked to adopt her to live with my flock. She was quite nervous but seemed to get on alright with my Cuckoos and my Black Rock as they were similar in size. However when I let her roam with them after a week she ran away and I had to get her back from a neighbour's garden. I then put her in the coop and run with my bantams thinking she might take to the small bantam cockerel I have but instead she attacked every chicken in there. Even when separated from her they were scared to go near her cage after days. I don't want her to be segregated but not sure of the best way to get her used to our garden and not want to runaway / or stop attacking the bantams. I am quite new to chickens so any advice would be appreciated and if I'm doing anything terribly wrong please let me knwo

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

That’s very kind of you to take her in after her friends were killed. You’re not doing anything wrong at all, chicken flock dynamics can be a complicated thing. For me personally I would just give it more time for them to become acquainted through the cage. I’m afraid there will be scuffles and pecking when they go together as that is how they sort the pecking order out. This is a good read ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock