Hen bullying

[deanh89]

I've recently got 2 silkie pullets, had them for about 4 days, and today we've bought 2 more younger ones, about a month younger than the other 2, I didn't know you where supposed to keep them separate and put them in the run straight away today, everything seemed fine, but when the larger silkie goes near the new smaller ones she was pecking and attacking them. And tonight she stood at the door of the coop not letting them in at night, one of them got to the top but she stood at the entrance and pecked at it, weve put them in a separate smaller coop, will they be able to go in the same coop at some point? and when will the bullying stop?

 

[Alaskan]

I've recently got 2 silkie pullets, had them for about 4 days, and today we've bought 2 more younger ones, about a month younger than the other 2, I didn't know you where supposed to keep them separate and put them in the run straight away today, everything seemed fine, but when the larger silkie goes near the new smaller ones she was pecking and attacking them. And tonight she stood at the door of the coop not letting them in at night, one of them got to the top but she stood at the entrance and pecked at it, weve put them in a separate smaller coop, will they be able to go in the same coop at some point? and when will the bullying stop?

Usually the new birds need to be introduced to each other through a wire fence.

So... can the coop you have be cut in half with a partition?

Or.... if you have LOTS of space, so a good huge coop and run... you might be able to get away with simply tossing them all in together IF
1. you have the time to watch them and make sure that there is no violence
2. Put in lots of extra things to hide behind (but make sure no one can get cornered or trapped any where)
3. Put in lots of things to play with, like a huge pile of leaves
4. At least 2 waterers and 2 feeders so the new ones will not be bullied away from food and water.

 

[deanh89]

Usually the new birds need to be introduced to each other through a wire fence.

So... can the coop you have be cut in half with a partition?

Or.... if you have LOTS of space, so a good huge coop and run... you might be able to get away with simply tossing them all in together IF
1. you have the time to watch them and make sure that there is no violence
2. Put in lots of extra things to hide behind (but make sure no one can get cornered or trapped any where)
3. Put in lots of things to play with, like a huge pile of leaves
4. At least 2 waterers and 2 feeders so the new ones will not be bullied away from food and water.

They are still sharing the same water and feed fine, and its not constant chasing, its only when they are close together the older of them will squark and peck them, they get away easily and it stops until they come close up again, I was mainly concerned about them not being let in the coop at night to sleep.

 

[aart]

I was mainly concerned about them not being let in the coop at night to sleep.

The coop, and roost, is the last frontier.
Do the newbies eventually get to go inside and roost?
If so, let them work it out.

 

[deanh89]

The coop, and roost, is the last frontier.
Do the newbies eventually get to go inside and roost?
If so, let them work it out.

I put the newbies in a smaller nesting box and closed the coop with the other 2 in, they dont seem as bad today so I'll see how they get on tonight.