How bad will this be??? HELP, Please????

[savingpurple]

A good friend of ours will take Ms. Pissy for me. She is so aggressive with all my other hens, she has to go. Now this friend, and my husband say just drop her off and add her to my flock. ??

Will what I am envisioning happen......I am so afraid she will be just ganged up on, an already established, pecking order, flock, that she will be pecked and could die?

Or, am I totally not thinking right, and all will be okay? Need to have some insight before I just "drop her off." They have about 24 chickens, about 4 roosters. AND they are leaving on vacation for a week, with their family feeding and watering. No one will care for her like I do.....just worried.

Will one rooster take her in,and protect her, even though she may end up on the low pecking order, which I just don't see happening?

I need help to see what to do here. She needs to GO, but am I sending her to her death this way???

 

[HEChicken]

I'd be worried about her too. Personally I hope I never have to add a single hen to an established flock. Perhaps her best friend can go with her?

 

[MommaOrp]

aww don't worry too much, i'm sure all will be well. I assume there will be a bit of squabbling to establish the order then all will be fine. In my experiences of settling new hens in, i've found that you can only try. Give it a chance and check regulary to see how she's getting on

 

[savingpurple]

They don't live close that a regular check is possible....

Why couldn't she be mean to me, and maybe I wouldn't care so darn much!!

She is such a "person" sweetie. I am her rooster,and she loves me

 

[Tartannik]

Can your friend not put her in the roost at night when the rest are sleeping? I find this works well as they seem to accept them quicker thinking they have always been there!!
Just a though!

 

[savingpurple]

They leave tomorrow on vacation. I have to have her go. She is beating my other hens up, and the stress is too much for me. They have scabs all over their combs, they are terrified to go into the coop, for fear of attacks. My egg layers are not laying, and i only have 4 including her, laying out of 7.

I am tired of taking her in and out with the crate, and she is getting stressed, and she is an already stressed breed. She deserves a rooster to keep her in check, and I will miss her.....

Saved her little chick life !!

Such a people sweetie !!!

 

[hcppam]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[RHRanch]

Quote:
I agree.

This is a good idea, but you shouldn't worry. If the flock is stable and run by an old alpha hen or a judicous roo, there will be some squabbling to establish the pecking order and then all will be well. I add birds to my flock often, and have really no problems.

 

[Mattemma]

I would take the hen over myself and place her in the coop at night. I would be reluctant to toss her into a new group during the day,but it probably wouldn't be any worse than when I introduced the roo to my hens.They beat him up and he fought right back.Then all was quiet and no one was killed.

 

[savingpurple]

She is a fighter with others, but she is so sweet to me.....She can handle her own...I hope...we shall see. Wish I could do it at night...with my work, just not an option.

Thanks...so much