How long till the girls accept a new girl into the flock?

[RollinWithTheStones]

It's only been 3 days, but they are all mean to her (even the small banties). They won't let her come out of the coop

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sometimes a long time.
I suggest putting the 2 meanest in time out for about a week.
Let the 2 get acquainted and then return the others one at a time. They'll be the new girls.

 

[aoxa]

Usually around a week for my girls.

 

[trailchick]

I normally always get more than one to add to a group.
That way, the new ones will always hang together and be BFFs!!!

and have a friend.
Just the way chickens work. May take quite a while for the new one to be accepted.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Quote:
I only have seven other girls and they are all mean to her

 

[rhpues]

took a month for mine to be nice............

 

[JodyJo]

I added 3 EE's to my existing flock, the older ones were 10 weeks older...they finally, FINALLY, at 26 weeks are into the flock....it took quite a while...if you separate the meanest ones, they will be a the bottom of the list again...give it a try, or just wait it out, it takes a while...

 

[Pharm Girl]

First, you need to keep the new one separated, but in a place they can see her all day. I have a coop with many segmented areas, so I usually lock the new one in one of those areas (also the crazed broody jail). A dog crate would work too. That way they get used to each others presence. If possible, I also block off a segment of roost with cut plastic hardware cloth. That way they are roosting together, but can't attack each other. I call this 'The Apartment". For the first month I will put the new chick in the apartment at night next to the others. After a week or two I will make a hole in the apartment where the bird can get in and out, but usually they go in there at night because that is their 'space'. I've noticed after three months, something magical happens and I'll start noticing the new hen roosting outside the apartment with the others. That's when I know they are ready to mingle. A nice slow start helps everybody out.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Quote:
Sounds great, but I don't have room for that. She has already found her own space away from the birds. So even when they're all locked in the coop she can get away from them.

 

[fayeoli]

I got 3 Orpingtons in July and 2 very cute Polish, in October my Buff Orp started crowing so the supplier took him back, a week later I got a new Buff Orp, she was about 6 weeks younger than the others. I had to supervise for several days as they were mean to her, my cute little Polish banties were the worse culprits, they made her life a misery. I'd read that if you give a quick squirt from a hose pipe as they are attacking it distracts them and pulls them up short, almost as though they've been pecked themselves, I tried this a few times and it seemed to work. It only took about a week for things to settle down, the Polish still try to assert their authority but Buffy squares up to them. They're one happy family now, but Buffy is still the bottom of the pecking order, someone has to be I guess. Orpingtons are very gentle generally and they get on very well with the Polish. So dont despair things will settle down, just keep your eye on them and you be the boss of them.