How long will "newbie" pecking last?

[CoopersCoopNC]

I added 4 new girls (rescues dropped at the farm - sigh) to my flock about 3 weeks ago and one girl (Ginger) is being beaten down badly by a hen from the existing flock (Mary Lou).

Poor Ginger hides under the coop and will lay flat (beyond submissive) while Mary Lou is around. The worst part is that Mary Lou will still walk up to her and peck at her head, while Ginger makes sad squawking noises. It tears me up to have to watch, even though I know that there is a "pecking order" to be established. So far, no blood has been drawn, but I just feel terrible for Ginger because she will stay in her lying position constantly and Mary Lou will still peck on her. Does anyone know how long I can expect this to go on? or should I re-home Ginger for her own safety?

Note: I have seen Mary Lou chasing Cinnamon (one of the other newbies) after I pick up Ginger to give her a "break" from Mary Lou.

They are free-rangers, so Ginger hopefully gets some time to relax while Mary Lou is out foraging.

Thanks in advance.

Cathy

 

[aart]

Could take months.

Do they roost together?

Mary Lou might just be a bad, rogue chicken destined to live(or not) somewhere else.

ETA: If Mary Lou is the only aggressor, you might take her out of the flock for a few weeks, then put her back in to reestablish her place in the flock, which could also be unpleasant.

 

[CoopersCoopNC]

Thanks for the reply.

Following "introduction protocol" (Love all the information on this site - BTW), I kept them separate to work things out while protected by making a smaller run attached to a large wire dog crate (complete with a roost for them to sleep on) next to the existing coop within our large run. The newbies stayed "locked up", while the others went to free-range for the day. In the evening, we lock the girls in the run (do a head-count) and let them go to bed (into the coop) when they want to. When we finally allowed the newbies to join the "flock", they continued roosting in the dog crate, so we closed the door to the dog crate one night, hoping/assuming that they would go into the coop.

The new girls do lay eggs in the nesting boxes, and I have seen them going in and out of the coop in the evening before everyone goes to bed, but I don't actually know that they go in and stay in. One evening I carried Ginger into the coop and the other 3 newbies followed, but I don't know if they stayed. I guess I can stay late one evening and check to see that everyone goes in.

I may be able to re-home Ginger with a friend. As for re-homing Mary Lou; I would prefer to not give an aggressive chicken to my friend who said she would take ones that I didn't want anymore (she only has 2 right now). Mary Lou only started acting this way with this new group of 4. We had another "dump" of 2 chickens a year ago, and Mary Lou did not treat them this way.

Thank you

 

[CoopersCoopNC]

UPDATE: It's been a while, but I did end up re-homing Ginger with a friend who has 2 very docile chickens. Ginger has been living a wonderfully stress free life there and I get to visit from time to time.