integrating a small group of adult hens

[Xtineart]

I had 2 gorgeous ex-barn commercial hens (2 year olds) who were in a bit of a mess when they came to live with me, but gradually became the loveliest, fluffiest, most beautiful birds you'd ever meet. Disaster struck last week when I lost one of the pair to egg yolk peritonitis. I'd done everything I could do but in the end she had to be put to sleep. Her mate became stupidly obsessed with me and so clingy at the loss of her chicken pal, so today I went to the chicken rescue and picked up two scruffy ex commercial laying hens, a year old. They are so skinny and malnourished and have barely a feather between them. As it was raining heavily today I introduced the 3 in my conservatory ( a neutral and covered space and stayed in with them while my older bird had a bit of a cry and a peck, and made it clear she was utterly jealous of the new girls. There was no major fighting thank goodness. Tonight I've put Betsy (my older girl) in her normal coop-hutch and the younger two in a smaller coop-hutch, more designed as a guinea pig run than anything permanent and sat it adjoining the main coop run so that they have private space and sleeping areas but can see each other when they are in the small runs. So far they've all been silent and tucked up to sleep. Tomorrow I'm going to let them all free range in the garden together till they start to establish themselves.
When and how should I move the younger two into the main coop? It's not big enough to separate them in the coop but I want to make sure they don't get pecked to bits by Betsy during the night. I cant leave them in the guinea pig run for ever and 2 coops is not an option in the longer term.

Will it all work out do you think?

 

[aart]

She's not jealous, she's defending her territory and establishing her dominance which is a completely natural reaction. If there was no serious fighting right away, there probably won't be.

I'd plan on at least a couple weeks, but leave the main coop open access to all while free ranging so the new girls can check it out. Evaluate as you go along, see how they do.

 

[Xtineart]

the nasty nasty fighting has stopped but in the free range garden the 2 younger birds are completely keeping their distance and the bigger hen is pretty much taking nothing to do with them. Last night the 2 younger birds slept in the coop but I noticed the older bird wasn't roosting or going inside, trying to sleep out in the pen. I had to finally go out after dark and lift her into the coop and shut the door over. It seems strange as though she's almost scared of the other 2 birds even though she's the one biting and bullying them. She certainly does not want to be with them at any point. The younger hens aren't laying at all, which doesnt surprise me, but oddly the older one has decided to try to lay her egg in my house (on the sofa) for the past 2 days, so something is really bothering her. Is this fear rather than dominance?

 

[aart]

Why is your older hen even inside your house on the sofa?

I would leave them all in the coop and run 24/7 for at least a couple weeks so they can all get used to the new situation. Every time you change something it interrupts their acclimation.

 

[Xtineart]

believe me she should not be on the sofa, but I've started another thread for that! She has learned how to open the door unless I lock it and a few times I've come downstairs to find her sitting quite happy in the kitchen or on the chairs. She's a wee monkey.

 

[2DogsFarm]

I am curious about this too.
My Flock of Four has started to slow down - older 3 are now 5yo and I'm pretty sure the "baby" (3yo mutt) has ended her laying career.
I am getting an egg a day & not every day.

So.........
Next week I am getting some adult hens from a friend's son who has a huge (100+) flock of mixed breeds he keeps for selling eggs.
He is giving me 2 Ameraucana crosses that are slackers for his purposes - only laying an egg every couple days.
That is fine for me.
I mostly want to add some color to my presently B&W flock.

I can section off part of my coop for the newbies & plan on keeping them in the fenced yard while the older girls freerange for at least a couple days.
Does it really work if you add the new hens at night? Just putting them on the roost with the others?
That would be easiest for me, but I can separate them if necessary.

Xtineart:
I am fortunate my hens have not yet figured out how to open the doors to the house.
If they had I'm sure I'd find them all on the couch watching TV, snacking on cat food.