INTEGRATION:suddenly very violent,seperation or let them fight?UPDATE!

[rosyposyosy]

i shoved my 22 week old BR out of the coop. IMMEDIATELY she gets attacked, like major. I've never seen that happen. My EE shoved her in the corner of the run, having lenore's head under the fence. i intervened immediately since my EE was about to draw blood from my BR's head. I seperated them, so that my BR and my banty are outside, and my EE is locked in the coop. what should i do? seperate them? or let them fight? is what i'm doing making it worse?

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

You need to get something in there to hide behind.
ANY THING that they can see each other threw but one can get behind for protection.

A baby gate would work open/strech it all the way and screw it tp the wall at an angle.

Put out an extra wayer and food dish

 

[rosyposyosy]

thanks for your reply!
my coop is 2 stories, how about I put my banty with my BR in the small top part, which is fenced off. my BR LOVES it up there since that was her "brooder". I have put my EE up there in the past but she goes nuts and knocks over the waterer and feeder up there.
here's a pic of my coop to give you an idea!

I'm running out there right now!

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, since they do know each other and have been introduced, they now just have to dual it out. It will take a week or two for them to fight it out but theres not much you can do to get them to learn their places any faster. It's normal.

 

[peepkeeper]

I agree with silkiechicken. As harsh as it seems, that's just what chickens need to do, and the more you interfere the longer the process will take. Sit on your hands unless someone is truly getting injured. Put food and water in a few different locations and give a few hiding places and wait it out.

 

[rosyposyosy]

Quote:
this whole integration ordeal, has been going on since my BR was around 8 weeks. They know each other, and I thought I had made good progress, because the last few nights they've slept on the same roost. Should they still just fight it out still? If they do just fight it out, would it be better confined, or free ranged in my backyard?

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

I agree they do need to work it out.
I only sugest they have some where to hide for a break if things get out of hand and some times they do. We don't want back on here in the Emergencies/Injuries section needing help of another kind.
Just keep an eye on them and use your own judgment.

GOOD LUCK and let use know when they are all friends.

 

[rosyposyosy]

ok. I opened up the run, the coop, the little upstairs run, and let them all free range.

 

[rosyposyosy]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
my family was over, we just finished breakfast when i went out to shove my BR out of the chicken coop. she is petrified my mom says. (she never goes out into the run). My mom was shocked to see how mean my EE was. I told her (this is my decision) I am going to see how they interact during the week, if she keeps attacking, I will give her (my EE) away. And then I will wait til spring, either incubate BLRW eggs, or have my banty cochin hatch them if she decides to go broody again (she went broody like 3 weeks after she started laying). I prefer broody since then I don't have to integrate them, because mama would be protective of her chicks. I seperated my banty cochin and my BR up in my BR's sanctuary, since my EE keeps on getting more violent.


EDITED TO ADD:
yesterday (when i was free ranging) a cat, a new cat, a cat i havent seen before was in the chicken coop, and it was nice to have a big tough chicken (my EE) to protect them. I am not letting anyone free range until I get my cat/raccoon trap.

 

[silkiechicken]

Chances are your EE is either head hen or bottom hen. If she is top hen and you give her away, there will be another scuffle till they figure out who is top hen. It should calm in a week or so, and there will still be pecking now and then for a few more weeks. Don't worry too much now. Tough love is hard.