I just can't get the flock to accept

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I had a small flock of 3 hens in a small coop and run and had purchased a Rooster and Hen that I was going to add to them. I have had their pens side by side now for a month so that the older girls would get used to seeing them and make the transition easier, so at night time after I had locked up my 2 year old hens, I went in around 9 pm and put the lonely hen on the perch so they would all wake up together in the morning and well , it didn't work. I went out and the 3 older hens were all jumping on her and pecking her.

This hen is very close in size, I did separate with a pen so they could see each other before introductions, and I did sneak her in when they were sleeping so should I give up and put her up for sale or just let her live alone in her own pen?

 

[Mahonri]

You didn't add the rooster also at the same time????.

I've found it's much easier to add more than one... adding just one means the new one will be pecked on for a couple of weeks.

 

[chicmom]

Can your chickens free range? That is an ideal way to let them get to know eachother.

One thing I can tell you is that it does seem rough at first when you introduce a new chicken. I personally don't like the idea of having the hens wake up with a newbie. I wouldn't like waking up with a new person in my house! (haha)

You've handled it well, letting them see eachother first. If you can't let them free range together, then try putting the three older hens in the cage, and letting the new gal have the run of the coop with the rooster for a while. Do that for a few days if you can and see what happens.

Good luck to you,
Sharon

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I can't free range , the neighborhood has dogs that run loose. The rooster died yesterday so now the hen is all by herself.

 

[schellie69]

I would take on of you 3 hens and put her in with the newbie for a few weeks then introduce both in with the other 2 that might help. I have found that introducing one hen never works really well.

 

[Mahonri]

Do you have any idea WHY the roo died?

The hen could be a carrier of whatever killed the roo and may have exposed the rest of your flock???

I'll say a prayer for you and your birds

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I haven't tried that out schellie so I may do that first.. Thank you for the idea

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

Yes I know what the rooster died form and it wasn't an illness..

 

[7L Farm]

I added one dominique pullet to my flock of 10 RIR pullets & one RIR cockerel. It took about three months for them to somewhat except her. The best thing was that the cock fell in love with her & guarded her. He still does. He would help her every evening after free ranging to get in the coop & on the roost. She was always scared to go in the coop but the cock would patiently stay with her & make sure she was in the coop every night. It was neat sitting there watching him & his new girlfriend. Some of the girls still chase her but she will always be safe as long as Freddy is around. She's happy to have a home & lays eggs everyday. She was a rescued chicken. Here she is when I first got her she would hide in the woods. She now runs with the flock.

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

She's a beauty.

I am trying to introduce an Orpington to 2 production reds and one Easter Egger.