Hen Pecking

[molinaln75]

Hello! We have one fully mature hen, about one year old, and 9 4-month old hens and roosters (can't tell which is which yet), and we rescued a fully grown hen from cage life yesterday. They all have a half acre to roam and stay in their very large coop and fenced-in run at night. Our established hen (we know she's a hen because she's been the only one laying eggs) keeps following the new hen around and pulling the feathers out of her back as she bathes in the dirt. Then she tries to mount her. The new hen looks like she already went through some abuse in her previous life. What can I do to get the established hen to leave her alone, aside from locking her up in the henhouse and chicken run area? TIA

 

[sourland]

Established birds pick on new birds - that's just chicken society. As long as she is not drawing blood, let them work things out. Next time you add new birds to your flock, quarantine them first. Hopefully all will be fine.

 

[drumstick diva]

Your hen is showing her dominance by, acting like she is going to breed the other. Thing is you cant just slip new birds in with the established ones and not run into problems. Chickens have their definite pecking order.

Also new birds should really be quarantined away from the others, for about a month - to be fairly certain will not spread some disease, etc. At any rate to integrate the rescue hen- either partition off part of the run and coop or put her in a cage near the others. This way everyone gets a good look, without fighting or pecking and they get used to seeing her.

After a period of time, let the rescue hen out in the run with the others - while you stay to supervise.
If there is petty squabbling ignore it but, do not allow bloodshed. Make sure there are extra water pans / feed in different locations - so if they bully her away from one, she can find others.

I'm sure the poor girl has been picked on before and probably thinks she can't expect any better.
She will come around and thrive under your care and may even stand up to bullies someday.

 

[molinaln75]

Since I've already let her roam and stay overnight with the other 10, should I still separate her? The 9 "teenage" hens and roosters don't pay any attention to her. They are very friendly and she is able to hang out with them wherever they are scratching and they give her no trouble. It's just the one hen (who was also a rescue a month ago from the same feed store) who is following her around. I also just put that hen in with the other 9 right after we got her a month ago, and she was quite bossy with them right away. The nine young ones have been together since they were just days old, and I've had them for 4 months, so I thought that they'd be the bullies, but they just don't care lol
Thank you for the advice.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Drumstick Diva X2 She needs to be kept separated but within the flock at all times. So cage her or fence off a section in the run or coop. Keep the new hen in there for 3 or 4 weeks. Everybody sees, nobody touches. After about a month, you can let the new bird out.

This is very important to do. Not only for a quarantine period for disease, but to let them get to know each other from behind wire. This will make the new hens transition easier on her. You can let her out by herself if you like, but not with the rest of the flock for several weeks.

Here is an article on mixing new birds into a flock..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

Good luck with your new bird and welcome to our flock!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Even though she has been with the flock for a day, I would still remove her and do a medical quarantine for a couple of weeks at least especially if you don't really know her history (the article TwoCrows linked talks about it, they do need to be removed and not in contact with the other birds, the integrating through wire should come after the quarantine). Don't forget to give her a good going over for lice/mites, and you might consider worming her if you don't know her history.

 

[molinaln75]

Worming? How is that done?
And thank you

 

[gander007]

I use a introduction cage for a week before letting the new meet the old ...

 

[ChickenLady100]

My girls are pecking at each other when they are on the roosting pole. It looks like it hurts! Is there something to be worried about. Do you guys think that is why one of my girls has not laid her egg in 4 days?:/