Introduced new chicken and they are fighting!

[rebbob]

I purchased a few hens one week ago and just went back to the same place and bought one more and the hen I already had jumped on the new hen and started pecking furiously at her head and neck, drawing blood and pulling out feathers. I intentionally purchased another chicken from the same breeder knowing they grew up together, and figured they would definitely get along. I was wrong! I've received a few suggestions on what to do but am open to more ideas. If I do separate them during the day (using chicken wire) is it still ok to put them in the same coop at night to sleep?

Thanks for your help!
Rebecca

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I wouldn't put them in the coop without separating them for a while. Never put fighting birds in a confined area unless you want dead birds. You will have to pen them side by side for a while before trying to combine them.

Were the birds from the same pen, and actually raised together? I have many generations of chickens. They don't fight under normal circumstances, but take some from different batches and confine them and they will fight like they never met.

 

[rebbob]

But I don't have two coops, I only built one. And yes, they were from the same pen, born and raised at the same time on the same farm. Weird huh?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It is weird, there should be some bickering but not aggression. If possible you could use some wire to divide your coop up temporarily or to make a area for the new one for a week or so.

 

[chickens really]

A week to chicken is a long time...They do not remember each other...Even use a wire dog crate to do the introduction..Look no touch..Keep her confined for a week and hopefully the next time they will be better? You could also lock up the bully using the same method..Pecking order is strong with Chickens...

Good luck...

 

[junebuggena]

How big is your coop and run? How many birds do you have living in it? What breeds?

 

[carlf]

I'm not surprised.
Dumping new birds into a flock is not natural.
Chickens are territorial and it appears your dominant hen is more territorial than others.
Get them separated before they kill the new hen.

 

[aart]

Even if they hatched in the same batch and had lived side by side for a time......
......a week is enough to make them strangers, especially when defending a new territory.

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock