How do I create a new dominant hen

[DaveyBlack]

i have 5 hens. The best layer is the dominant one and crows every morning to assert her dominance.
To try and stop her crowing I am introducing a new hen from a breeder who has picked his most dominant girl.
My question is: (after the quarantine period) do I put the dominant girl and new girl together & let them fight it out & hope new girl wins... OR Do I put dominant girl in isolation and introduce new girl to the flock & hope she becomes the alpha, then reintroduce the dominant girl and see what happens?

 

[Pork Pie]

There's no guarantee that the new hen will become the alpha. Here are some links on integration that may interest you.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method

 

[aart]

i have 5 hens. The best layer is the dominant one and crows every morning to assert her dominance.
To try and stop her crowing I am introducing a new hen from a breeder who has picked his most dominant girl.
My question is: (after the quarantine period) do I put the dominant girl and new girl together & let them fight it out & hope new girl wins... OR Do I put dominant girl in isolation and introduce new girl to the flock & hope she becomes the alpha, then reintroduce the dominant girl and see what happens?

Welcome to BYC!
How do you plan on 'quarantining'?
Pretty hard to do in a backyard flock, see links below.

I'm afraid your theory may be seriously flawed.
Either way you could end up with some bloody birds,
not to mention the stress it will cause for all involved.
Not all dominant hens crow, most don't - even without a cock in residence.
Tho your crower could get her butt kicked and stop crowing
Is the crowing a problem because you are not allowed to have roosters where you live?.

The 'single bird' link Ken posted is excellent.
Here's some more integration tips and links.

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

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.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[DaveyBlack]

Thank you both.
I have taken all the usual precautions re quarantine and integrating gradually with a seperate cage, then a seperate fenced off area within the main run, and I understand that introducing a single chicken is not ideal (we just don’t want two more chickens) - I should have mentioned that all the old flock are bantam variety (Wyandotte, Leghorn & Rhode Island) while the new girl is not bantam, so given her larger size, and the fact the breeder specifically chose his most dominant girl, I assumed this would make her less likely to be ganged up on?

 

[aart]

so given her larger size, and the fact the breeder specifically chose his most dominant girl, I assumed this would make her less likely to be ganged up on?

Maybe....but not necessarily....only time will tell.
Territoriality can often trump most other factors....and bantams can be ferocious.

 

[chickens really]

First off the Birds you mentioned are not Bantam breeds..Pecking order will be established and the entire flock dynamics will change..
Best of luck

 

[DaveyBlack]

First off the Birds you mentioned are not Bantam breeds..Pecking order will be established and the entire flock dynamics will change..
Best of luck

They are bantam versions of those breeds:
https://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/

 

[chickens really]

They are bantam versions of those breeds:
https://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/

Here in Canada I have never heard of them...

 

[chickens really]

Also the list you provided was just random breeds and many Bantam, Hybrid , Duel purpose and Heritage breeds not just bantam.

 

[Chickassan]

I'm really not trying to jinx you but I'm thinking you're just going to end up with another hen in your flock and yours is going to continue to crow. I'm curious as to why the crowing is an issue, it's a hen not a roo so lawfully you're fine.