Help with new chickens, please!

[SoManyHats]

Help please! I got four chickens last night. It was dark and rainy so I didn't look them over well (my fault). But, I had asked the seller if they were nice and would get along with other chickens, and was assured they would. However, after getting them home it became obvious that one is very aggressive toward the others - she literally jumps on their backs, grabs hold of the head near the comb and yanks, flapping her wings. Upon inspection I see that the feathers are missing and there are healing scabs on two of the other chickens. Yet, I am assured that the aggressive hen has never acted that way. They are also all sick with liquid poops, and the three non-aggressive ones are very thin and eating like they're starving. If this was you, what would you do? I have isolated the nasty one, and, thank God, I kept them all away from my established flock.

I'm super disappointed with this experience. My first chicken purchase was from Maggiesdad, and was awesome - the birds are healthy and happy, and have been since the beginning. Now I don't know if I'll trust anyone again.

I tried to get pictures, but they're not that great.

Here's the aggressive hen (someone else suggested maybe a rooster, not having seen a picture)

A not-so-great picture of the head of another one

Also, the eyes are red around the pupil. Is that normal for some breeds?

 

[crazypoultrychx]

I hate to say that people lie.....but they do.....it is "always best to isolate new chickens" before intro'ing to a new flock....and it is deff best to only make decisions when you have good light....the best thing you can do in the future is when intro'ing new chickens to and est. flock is to put them in a large dog pen inside your current coop w their own source of food and water to let your old chx get used to your new chx......then once you have established there are no health issues then turn them all out together....another thing to think about is someone is not going to sell their best chx......they are always gonna sell either the problem chicks or dominent chicks......eventually they will find their "pecking order" but you have to do what is in the best interest of your flock......I wish you luck.....

 

[SoManyHats]

I hate to say that people lie.....but they do.....it is "always best to isolate new chickens" before intro'ing to a new flock....and it is deff best to only make decisions when you have good light....the best thing you can do in the future is when intro'ing new chickens to and est. flock is to put them in a large dog pen inside your current coop w their own source of food and water to let your old chx get used to your new chx......then once you have established there are no health issues then turn them all out together....another thing to think about is someone is not going to sell their best chx......they are always gonna sell either the problem chicks or dominent chicks......eventually they will find their "pecking order" but you have to do what is in the best interest of your flock......I wish you luck.....

Yes, they have been isolated from my established flock since they got here, then I separated the mean one from the others. They are all in the garage right now, and will not go anywhere near my flock until I am sure they are well. I added pictures to my original post.

 

[Fancychooklady]

It is unfortunate that there are so many unscrupulous people out there . The first thing you need to do is worm and delice them. It was very wise of you not to integrate them into your existing flock. If they are thin, they may well be used to fighting for food. The aggressive hen may well just be the fittest . Hopefully once you have treated them and fed them up things will balance out. Please don't put them with your birds for at least 4 -6 weeks.
Look for symptoms of upper respitory disease. Wheezing, coughing, sneezing and runny noses, before you even contemplate introducing them to your birds.

 

[SoManyHats]

It is unfortunate that there are so many unscrupulous people out there . The first thing you need to do is worm and delice them. It was very wise of you not to integrate them into your existing flock. If they are thin, they may well be used to fighting for food. The aggressive hen may well just be the fittest . Hopefully once you have treated them and fed them up things will balance out. Please don't put them with your birds for at least 4 -6 weeks.
Look for symptoms of upper respitory disease. Wheezing, coughing, sneezing and runny noses, before you even contemplate introducing them to your birds.

Are the red eyes something to worry about, or is that normal?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Their eyes should be a " bay " brown colour. Clear of any mucous.