Help!

[BabyBThatChick]

Hello all.. So.. I need a hand here with a chicken of mine. She is about three years old.. We got her with 3 other chickens. We lost two so it was just her and one other and we recently introduced 7 more young chickens to the group. They are about 4 and a half months. Now this one chicken did not take well to the addition. She continued to chase after them and Peck at them until we had to remove her because they weren't getting enough food and they were all getting injured. Now we removed her for about 4 days before we tried to reintroduce her and it did not work. So we had her out for probably about a week and a half when we did put her back and we left her in there over night and we were still having the same problems, maybe even worse. Now I've had her out for about another week. We have her completely separated, should I have her by the other birds? My mom is the one that had been removed her and she was completely separate from the other chickens. I need to know if there's a chance that will be able to keep her and fix her, or if we're gonna have to re home her, does anybody have any advice?

 

[Debbie292d]

Unbelievable, it's 7 to 1, and she'll pick on them? What breed are these? Are they considerably smaller than her?

I know that silkies have to be about five months old before they are the same size and integration is pretty seamless. Prior to that, there will be pecking.

 

[2ndTink]

Can you put her in a cage inside the existing coop / run so she can see them around her but not get to them? Maybe doing that for a week or two would help her work through her aggressiveness?

 

[aart]

How big is your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
How did you introduce them?

Here's some tips about....
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.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[BabyBThatChick]

Hello all.. So.. I need a hand here with a chicken of mine. She is about three years old.. We got her with 3 other chickens. We lost two so it was just her and one other and we recently introduced 7 more young chickens to the group. They are about 4 and a half months. Now this one chicken did not take well to the addition. She continued to chase after them and Peck at them until we had to remove her because they weren't getting enough food and they were all getting injured. Now we removed her for about 4 days before we tried to reintroduce her and it did not work. So we had her out for probably about a week and a half when we did put her back and we left her in there over night and we were still having the same problems, maybe even worse. Now I've had her out for about another week. We have her completely separated, should I have her by the other birds? My mom is the one that had been removed her and she was completely separate from the other chickens. I need to know if there's a chance that will be able to keep her and fix her, or if we're gonna have to re home her, does anybody have any advice?

Unbelievable, it's 7 to 1, and she'll pick on them? What breed are these? Are they considerably smaller than her?

I know that silkies have to be about five months old before they are the same size and integration is pretty seamless. Prior to that, there will be pecking.

How big is your coop and run?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
How did you introduce them?

Here's some tips about....
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.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

We did all of the introducing properly.. Everyone else is okay and the other established bird has no problem with the babies, despite the fact that she is the head bird and she is mean..to humans anyway. She is pinning them down and not letting them up while pecking like crazy.. She has been creating injuries..and I removed her when I found an oozing deep hole in the one's head. I just thought she was trying to remain in her spot in the pecking order and showing the little ones whose boss but it got crazy so. I did bring her out and put her in with them while in a cage and she was still trying to go after them and basically going crazy. I was thinking to just put her cage that she's in next to the run on the outside so they can see each other but not get to each other right? I feel like that's probably my only option right? Cause it's breaking my heart having her alone. One thing about her is she got beat on pretty good from the other adult.. Half of her back and neck is feather less.. It's growing back now that I have her seperate but maybe that's why too?

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hello all.. So.. I need a hand here with a chicken of mine. She is about three years old.. We got her with 3 other chickens. We lost two so it was just her and one other and we recently introduced 7 more young chickens to the group. They are about 4 and a half months. Now this one chicken did not take well to the addition. She continued to chase after them and Peck at them until we had to remove her because they weren't getting enough food and they were all getting injured. Now we removed her for about 4 days before we tried to reintroduce her and it did not work. So we had her out for probably about a week and a half when we did put her back and we left her in there over night and we were still having the same problems, maybe even worse. Now I've had her out for about another week. We have her completely separated, should I have her by the other birds? My mom is the one that had been removed her and she was completely separate from the other chickens. I need to know if there's a chance that will be able to keep her and fix her, or if we're gonna have to re home her, does anybody have any advice?

Is she a Rhode Island Red? If so, there’s no fixing her. Soup time.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hello all.. So.. I need a hand here with a chicken of mine. She is about three years old.. We got her with 3 other chickens. We lost two so it was just her and one other and we recently introduced 7 more young chickens to the group. They are about 4 and a half months. Now this one chicken did not take well to the addition. She continued to chase after them and Peck at them until we had to remove her because they weren't getting enough food and they were all getting injured. Now we removed her for about 4 days before we tried to reintroduce her and it did not work. So we had her out for probably about a week and a half when we did put her back and we left her in there over night and we were still having the same problems, maybe even worse. Now I've had her out for about another week. We have her completely separated, should I have her by the other birds? My mom is the one that had been removed her and she was completely separate from the other chickens. I need to know if there's a chance that will be able to keep her and fix her, or if we're gonna have to re home her, does anybody have any advice?



We did all of the introducing properly.. Everyone else is okay and the other established bird has no problem with the babies, despite the fact that she is the head bird and she is mean..to humans anyway. She is pinning them down and not letting them up while pecking like crazy.. She has been creating injuries..and I removed her when I found an oozing deep hole in the one's head. I just thought she was trying to remain in her spot in the pecking order and showing the little ones whose boss but it got crazy so. I did bring her out and put her in with them while in a cage and she was still trying to go after them and basically going crazy. I was thinking to just put her cage that she's in next to the run on the outside so they can see each other but not get to each other right? I feel like that's probably my only option right? Cause it's breaking my heart having her alone. One thing about her is she got beat on pretty good from the other adult.. Half of her back and neck is feather less.. It's growing back now that I have her seperate but maybe that's why too?

What breeds are these?

I would just keep her separate and try her with them weekly and as they get closer in size to her, she should stop this.

 

[Mrs. K]

Get some pin less peepers and put them on her.

 

[BabyBThatChick]

Get some pin less peepers and put them on her.

What is that?

 

[BabyBThatChick]

Is she a Rhode Island Red? If so, there’s no fixing her. Soup time.

No she isnt. 2 of the young ones are though.