Integrating 2 New Chickens Into the Flock- Tips for Timid Chickens?

[elayne927]

We're having some trouble integrating 2 new chickens into our flock of 5 hens and I'm hoping for some tips from those of you with a lot more experience. We have a 16 square foot coop and a 300 square foot run, so there's plenty of room for everyone. We have 3 waterers and 3 feeders inside the run, and the group gets let out to free range on our 3 acres (with additional watering stations) for a few hours every day as well, so there are plenty of sources of food and water.

We were given a very docile Ameraucana a few weeks ago, and I had been told it was always easier to integrate 2 or more at a time so I put out the word that I was looking for another hen to try to introduce at the same time. An acquaintance of mine had a 5 month old Black Star pullet she was trying to rehome, so we thought that might work out in our favor. It turned out her chicken had been injured as a tiny chick and had been living in her house alone since she was 3 days old. She's very sweet, but she doesn't seem to know how to interact with other not-docile chickens. We put the 2 new girls together in a smaller run inside the main run to get everyone used to each other for almost 2 weeks. The 2 new girls seem to get along ok with each other and they share food and water ok. The Ameraucana taught the Black Star how to roost and use the feeder and waterer, but letting them out to interact with the other 5 hens doesn't seem to be going particularly well.

We've tried letting the 2 new girls out into the group both inside their run (with plenty of treats at multiple stations set out) and while free ranging for a couple of hours every day for the last 6 days or so. The original hens do still chase the 2 new girls whenever they notice them, but it's usually just a chase or a quick peck or two- nothing that seems to draw blood. They will not, however, allow either of the 2 new girls anywhere near the 3 waterers or the 3 feeders in the main run, and the 2 new girls don't seem to fight back at all. They just run and/or hide. When they're out, the Ameraucana spends 90% of the time hiding either inside the coop or on top of anything high and avoids interacting with the others as much as she can. She will try to sneak over to the waterer once in a while, but the others chase her away almost immediately. When they're out free ranging she will forage a bit, but she's much more interested in getting onto a perch above the others than in anything else. The Black Star runs around acting terrified anytime she sees/notices the other hens and tries to find a human to hide behind. We've been supervising and trying not to be in a position where she can get to us to hide, but that hasn't seemed to make much of a difference. She doesn't even try to visit the feeders/waterers or forage most of the time because she's too busy running from the other hens.

Any ideas on how to help get these 2 girls integrated (or build some confidence in them so they might integrate themselves) or should we just keep doing more of the same and hope for the best eventually?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How are the feeders/waterers set up? Are they sitting freely in the run or are there other things nearby that the chickens can hide behind, under, etc? If possible add extra things to break up line of sight between the various food and water stations, to make it easier for the newcomers to be able to eat without the existing flock seeing them.

 

[CannedMonster]

Are your feeders/waterers in different spots in the run or bunched together?

Have you thought of locking the older hens out of the run for a while?
I also have feeders/waterers in my yard outside my run.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC, sorry you are having difficulties.

for almost 2 weeks.

2 weeks might not have been long enough.
Your run sounds good, but your 16sqft coop is not big enough for 7 birds.
Do the new birds have a coop or shelter to sleep in?

Good advice above...both for places to hide out of line of sight and giving the new birds some 'alone' time in the run.

Here's some tips for.....
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

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, your coop is too small. There is a tendency to think that free ranging or a large run will compensate for too small of a coop, but come the dark days of winter, birds are roosted up, depending where in the country that you live, 14-16 hours a night. You should address that before winter unless you are in the far south of the USA...or some where else near the equator.

As for the current problem, watch carefully, usually there are a couple of hens that are more aggressive. Try pulling the top three, putting them where you have the new birds. And put the new birds with the remaining two. Now you will still have the scuffle, but it is more even, two on two. Let that work itself out for 2-3 weeks. Till they are all eating together. Then add back the more dominant birds. You can even add a more dominant bird one at a time each week for a couple of weeks, if adding them all at once, starts the problem back up. If that and a bigger coop does not work, you may have to cull one or two of the birds. Always solve for the peace of the flock.

Take a good look at your run, is it just an open rectangle?often times that is what I see. If so, add some pallets up on blocks, mini walls where a bird can eat out of sight of other birds eating at another station. Add roosts, ladders, platforms, it will look cluttered to you, but much more interesting to your birds.

Mrs. K