Help! Nothing working to introduce new hen.

[paddock36]

Got more wire and post to build a new run and now it's been raining for 3 days straight,

 

[cmom]

I used a hose on a couple of my hens that was beating up my pullets. Every time I caught them I sprayed them with the hose. It caught them by surprise. The hens quit beating the pullets up.

 

[paddock36]

We have tried playing referree and that didn't work either. As soon as it stops raining I am going to work on rebuilding the run and I am going to try putting her in a pen inside the run and see if that will work. I never noticed chickens being so mean when I was a kid.

 

[paddock36]

OK, it finally stopped raining long enough for me to get the run rebuilt. It is now about 40ft by 10ft so there is plenty of room. I put the EE in a cage inside the run so the others can't get to her but I feed them next to the cage so they have to be near her and I have been doing this for about 3 days. Tonight I'm going to slip her out of the cage and put her in the coop and see what happens tomorrow.

 

[cmom]

Check out my BYC Page. I put a section on how I integrated my flocks. I don't know if it will help or give you any ideas. Good luck........

 

[emilyweck]

OK. I am soooooo sorry for your situation. I had the same issue with an EE and ended up buying a black cochin her same size to be her "friend" only to find that the cochin was accepted and not the EE. UGH

I finally just said "fend for yourself" and she did. She is the smallest little butt of them all and isn't the alpha by any means, but takes her pecks, run-ins, etc. and goes on her merry way.

Finally we got is straight, but the process was a pain in the arss! Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[cmom]

Here is another BYC Members page in integratung chicks/flocks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=14951

 

[cmom]

Here is another BYC Members page on inducing new birds to existing flock.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[paddock36]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I rebuilt the run area. I put the new hen in a smaller cage inside the run for a few days and when the other hens were fed I put the food next to the cage so they had to go near the other hen but couldn't get her. Now, I just went out and took her out of the cage and put her in the coop while everyone was sleeping, so I will check on her tomorrow and see how it is going. Here's hoping

 

[jelmer]

it will probably just take time