Integration problem- excessive pecking!

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

So for the past month and a half or so I've been trying to integrate my 2 3-month-old EE's and my 6-month-old Cochin bantam (who is in the same mini-flock as the EE's). For the past few nights they've been sleeping in the same coop as my 4 dominant GSL almost-hens.

The Cochin is doing pretty well. She always seems unfazed when they peck her, and she has so much fluff they don't really seem to harm her. Plus, she's big.

My EE Quinn is still being chased and pecked, but just a normal amount. She's second-lowest in the new pecking order, right below Midge the Cochin.


It's skittish little Aspen the EE I'm worried about. We have a huge fenced-in area in the backyard for the chickens to roam around in, but the GSL's almost consider it a sport to chase and peck Aspen. Yesterday they were in their small run and the GSL's chased her around a lot. he squawked and jumped five feet in the air, then huddled in a corner and kind of "gave up" until my Dad intervened. I'm woried she may be seriously damaged if this goes on.


What should I do? Should I rehome Aspen or the dominant GSL, Poppy? Should I get some "Pinless Peepers" to blind them?

 

[miss_thenorth]

what was your method for introducing them? did you give them time to see each other, while still separated? or did you just kinda plunk them all in together? If the latter, you need to do the former.--> have the now ones in a cage or kennel of some sort, for a few so that they all can see each other, and get used to each other.

If you have done that, then what I would recommend is to take the dominant hen away for a copla days, so they readjust their pecking order, then re introduce her and see how that goes.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

Thanks! Yeah, they were separated but also together. They'd free-range together every day. I'll take Poppy and Gamma-alpha and beta- away from their home for a few days. I hope that will calm down the remaining GSLs, Lily and Flutter