Hi -- thank you in advance for all the wonderful caring people who take the time to answer all my questions. I have been posting about my new adventures taking care of chickens. To recap--I have an EE who has been alone for a few months after her friend RIR got taken by a predator. Thinking I was doing her a favor, I got her another RIR to keep her company which she has not appreciated very much, she's pecking at her, possibly pulling out tail feathers (not sure, because she came to us with a large bald patch on her back). Anyway, no bloodshed yet and during the day it's tolerable, in fact, this morning the RIR stole a worm from the EE and ran away! So I thought how scared can she be? My main issue right now is the nighttime. Her first night she went into the coop 3 times getting scared and leaving and stayed in there on the 4th try but I'm not sure what really went down in there. Now when night comes the EE goes in the coop and the RIR acts almost disoriented-- wandering the run, making sounds of distress, acting like she doesn't know where to go. She knows where the coop is as she has been going in there to lay eggs. Last night, I put her at the top of the stairs to go to bed and she very slowly turned around and came right out! I have a kennel at the bottom of the stairs or ramp and I've been putting her in there and she settles right in. Finally my question-- should I keep putting her up there for potentially more abuse or listen to her that she's scared and let her sleep separately? That is part 1 of my dilemma-- part 2 is I have 2 soon to be 7 week old Isa Brown chicks that will eventually be joining the other 2. I've heard RIR are the ones that can be mean so am I setting them up to get attacked when I put them in. Contemplating of letting either the EE or RIR go to another home or letting it play out as nature intended. Advice please
