In my newbie chicken wisdom, I got two 7 week old pullets a while back to replace chicks that ended up being roos. In the meantime, another of our tiny flock died from eating a screw and we were down to two chickens from the original flock and the two newbies in quarantine. I planned carefully that I would have three and a half weeks to integrate the chickens before leaving on a one week vacation. Of course, the oldies got worms and the vet advised that I hold off integrating for a couple weeks. So, I ended up with a week and a half.
I started by letting the newbies (13 weeks) free range outside of the coop/run where the oldies (18 weeks) could see them. After a day or two, I let the oldies out and, for the most part, everyone went their separate way except for a little pecking (and one jumping on top by the head chicken) here and there. Then, I moved the newbies into the run during the day in an area separated by wire. At night, after the oldies go up, I put the newbies up on the roost and, unless they are next to the head chicken (she usually roosts next to the wall), all is good. A couple days of this and everyone seemed fine. No real interest in each other. I tried to do a meet and greet again and the dominant oldie cornered, jumped on and beat up one of the newbies (always targets the same one).
So I removed the dominant hen and put her in a dog crate in the garage for two days where she was sad and mournful. The other three got along just fine (2 newbies, 1 oldie). I reintroduced the dominant hen and the pecking, cornering and jumping on began again - by both older hens.
Here is my dilemma. I am leaving on vacation in 3 days. I clearly will not be able to safely integrate the girls before I go. What would you do? Remove the newbies back to their quarantine pen in the garage? Put the dominant hen in a dog crate in the garage? Have them separated in the run during the day and have the chicken sitter put the newbies on the roost at night with the hope that everything is okay before she comes back in the morning to let them out (the newbies tend to stay on the roost until I get them down - fear, I think).
Please help!
Thanks in advance.
Michelle
I started by letting the newbies (13 weeks) free range outside of the coop/run where the oldies (18 weeks) could see them. After a day or two, I let the oldies out and, for the most part, everyone went their separate way except for a little pecking (and one jumping on top by the head chicken) here and there. Then, I moved the newbies into the run during the day in an area separated by wire. At night, after the oldies go up, I put the newbies up on the roost and, unless they are next to the head chicken (she usually roosts next to the wall), all is good. A couple days of this and everyone seemed fine. No real interest in each other. I tried to do a meet and greet again and the dominant oldie cornered, jumped on and beat up one of the newbies (always targets the same one).
So I removed the dominant hen and put her in a dog crate in the garage for two days where she was sad and mournful. The other three got along just fine (2 newbies, 1 oldie). I reintroduced the dominant hen and the pecking, cornering and jumping on began again - by both older hens.
Here is my dilemma. I am leaving on vacation in 3 days. I clearly will not be able to safely integrate the girls before I go. What would you do? Remove the newbies back to their quarantine pen in the garage? Put the dominant hen in a dog crate in the garage? Have them separated in the run during the day and have the chicken sitter put the newbies on the roost at night with the hope that everything is okay before she comes back in the morning to let them out (the newbies tend to stay on the roost until I get them down - fear, I think).
Please help!
Thanks in advance.
Michelle
