Introducing a new chicken question

[Cathand3chicks]

Hi, hoping someone can give me a very quick answer. We got a new chicken yesterday and introduced it to our existing 3 chickens, stupidly we hadn't really read up on what to do and obviously the old 3 attacked the new one. It was dusk as we introduced them so fairly soon after that they all went to bed (we think the new one slept in the laying box)

Today they've continued to bully her so I read up a bit on the internet and have now separated them. I put a box (a wooden garden storage box) in the run, its safe and secure and I've put a shoe box in with some shavings and food and water in there. I've been letting the new one out into the run or the old ones but not at the same time so they can get used to each other.

The problem is it will be -1 C tonight. Do I put the new one in with the old ones to sleep or will she be fine on her own? There seems to be slightly conflicting advice out there as to whether they should sleep together. Also I'm going away in the morning, and while the kids and my mother in law will be here they won't be let out into the run (there's a small run in their house) till 11am which means they'll be stuck together till then. I can't let them out by the way because the new one is rather good at flying and we've had to get her down from the shed twice, I can't really expect my mother in law to climb up there

 

[JacobMaxwell]

For tonight, -1 C is nothing, the new chicken will be absolutely fine in the run. Keeping the new chicken in the crate in the run for a week or so will help your existing flock to get used to the newcomer, but for future reference, it is never good to introduce just one chicken to an existing flock. If there is still pecking when you try to introduce the chicken, consider buying some pin less peepers to put on the meanest chickens. Each of those prongs goes in one of the chicken's nostrils. You have to use a snap ring pliers to stretch out the peepers, then once the prongs are over the nostrils, stop squeezing the pliers and you're done.



I had pecking during the winter but haven't had a single problem since applying these things. Search for sme pictures online to see how the go on.

 

[Cathand3chicks]

Hi, thanks for your reply, I ended up putting her in the separate box and so far we are only letting them meet when they're all in the garden. So far the pecking isn't too bad as long as she runs away before they get to her so here's hoping they do it less and less!!