Hen Rivalry ... Help!!

[hentastic]

Due to circumstances we were left with just one hen. We decided to get a couple more so she wasn't lonely. We brought the two new ones home last weekend (they had always been together and were happy together). Our original hen has taken a dislike to one of them inparticular. We are keeping the original one in a rabbit run inside the main run so she can see them but they are safe from her and bringing her inside at night. We are letting them all out together for about half an hour each evening while we are in the run with them. The original one keeps attacking one of the hens and it looks really vicious. She goes for the back of the neck and the comb, jumping on her back so she can't escape. The other two don't fight back at all and just cower away from her.

We keep separating them when it looks like the new chicken is being pecked quite badly and can't get away but not sure if we're doing the right thing. It looks horrendous and I don't feel comfortable letting it happen.

What do we do? Is this normal? Will they get used to each other or will we have to get rid of the original one now after all this?

Any advice welcome!

 

[elmo]

Distraction. I broke up a brewing battle in our flock simply by changing the chickens' routine.

You could try putting the three together someplace other than your original hen's home territory, and give them something interesting to do, like chase a handful of crickets. You'll still need to watch and monitor how it's going.

The picked on chicken also needs enough space to be able to get away; is your run big enough for this? It also helps sometimes to put things in the pen that the picked on chicken can run and hide behind. A bare pen with nothing in it provides no such shelter.

Many people have had good luck putting new chickens in at night time, when the original chickens are sleepy. Then in the morning they forget the new gals haven't been there all along.

Good luck!