Integrating my pullets...brutal EE...bad idea??

[LindsaySinai]

I have two 1yr EE's and 2 19week cochins that I think it's about time to put together. One of the EE's is especially brutal so I'm considering pulling her out of the run and putting the two cochins in with the other EE. They're all roaming my yard right now and are ok but the run is a little small and theres not much room to hide so my cochins bury their heads in the corner and the mean EE will peck the others butts til their bloody if I let her. If I lock her out will this help put her in her place?

 

[sourland]

What you have planned may work. Allow the cochins to become comfortable with the one EE then reintroduce the dominant hen. Understand that she will have to be separated for a period of days/perhaps weeks, not hours for this to have any chance of working.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Agree with Sourland. Good luck, I hate, hate, introducing new chickens into a small flock. It was a nightmare for me and I won't do it again, my new hen was almost killed. Go with your plan to pull out your dominant hen for a while and really watch her when she does go back in. She may be better or she may go right back to square one. I tried for more then two months to integrate a new hen, penned her alongside their run, in a dog crate in the coop at night, you name it. They never did accept her into the coop/run, she can free range alongside them in the pasture but they won't let her in the coop.

Good luck, hope your situation works out better then mine!

 

[LindsaySinai]

So far it seems like a good idea. The EE thats in with them seemed like she was ignoring the cochins for the first few hours...and now every now and then she gives them a little peck but it doesnt seem harmful at all. The EE by herself is going crazy...I'm going to try for a few days and then should I reintroduce her a night?? I'm worried if I do it at night then I won't get a chance to supervise and she may have time to do damage before I have a chance to get out in the morning to see how things are going(I have three kids, one of which is 4 weeks old so it takes forever to do anything.)

 

[Zigmont]

Good luck. I am in the process of integrating two new EEs with my existing flock. It has been a long time, but I will not let them hurt them. When I separate anyone the whole flock gets stressed so that doesn't work for me. I have two separate adjacent areas. When I am home, I free range all and they are fine. At night I put the new ones on the roost. They are fine until morning. If I wait too long,they get beat up. They are young, so I am hoping maturity will help. Buffhulligan sent me a good article. I will forward it to you.

 

[Zigmont]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

Here is the site from Buff Hooligans