integration . . . new questions

[ginger c.]

I took the advice for a while. I put the two silkies in the run with the four fat girls this morning. When the big girls got after the banties I just let them go. It seems they would peck then lose interest, go eat... get a drink... then start looking for a fight again. After a while, they pretty much stopped picking on one of the silkies and focused most of their attention on the #2.

All was quiet for a while, then one of the big chicks got after #2. She got #2 into a corner and pecked and stomped. Then #2 put it's head down, got stomped on, and went limp. I thought it was dead. When I went in and picked it up, #2 lifted it's head.

I took it out for a few minutes, let it run around, and then put it back in the run. After a while, three of the big girls cornere #2. After much squawking and flapping, #2's head went down and body went limp. The big girls pecked its back and butt a little (but it looked like they weren't pecking as hard). When they picked a couple feathers, I broke it up and separated them.

My questions are:
Is this feigning death a natural response? Or did they knock my little chicken out cold? When this happens, should I allow them to peck or did I do the right thing by breaking it up at that point?

Here is a pic of #2 (Louise). We think it might be a roo (soon to be Louis). Would that be the reason they are picking on it? Or is it possible the one that seems to hate #2 the most is currently at the bottom of the pecking order and wants to make darn sure she doesn't stay there?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[loanwizard]

I am new and don't know a lot, in fact each day I realize how little I know. That said, I have been very lucky because I have introduced 2 groups to my original flock..... up to 44 birds now.

As long as there is no blood, they should be ok IMHO.

I introduced my after dark when all was calm. There was some pecking but with so many choices they seemed to sort it out ok.

If it keeps up, I would put the hen pecked one in a pen inside the pen so that they get used to her but cannot hurt her until they accept her.

 

[lxlzbaca]

Great thread, I am wondering the same thing. We have 5 hens that are about 6 months old and just got a bantum silkie. We put her in at night and in the morning they were fine until they cornered her and pecked at her. She went limp and my hubby thought she was dead so he went inside to get a bag. When he came back she was in a different corner. We put her inside a kennel on the side of the coop. Our plan is to leave her there for about 1 week then put the kennel inside the coop for another week. Hopefully by then she'll be old news. They did cause her to bleed when they pecked at her so we definitely won't be moving her until she is all healed. I'll be watching this thread for ideas.

 

[Ole rooster]

Yesterday morning I came home with 6 pullets and a rooster. I would have had 7 but one jumped out of the box and one was entering. This morning I went back and got the other BO. When I put her in the new home chicken run, three of the hens acted like they had never seen her. But the other two BO's did know who she was and sorta protected her. If things go like yesterday, by 2:00 things will be normal. But one day and they were strangers.