Introducing a new Chicken to the flock. NEWBEE Please help.

[gblanchard]

I have raised two standard sized hen's since they were just chicks. They are a little over a year old now. I was just given a 6 month old Light Sussex Bantam. I have had him seperated from the two hen's, but his pen is right next to the hen's pen so that they can see and interact with each other without fightting. I do let my chickens out of their pens during the day to free roam my backyard. I have tried to place the little bantam with the two hen's but one of the hen's is being very aggressive toward's the bantam. I thought is was just a pecking order thing. But the hen just would not leave the little guy alone. He eventually hid his head in a corner just to stop getting beaten up. So I removed the little guy. This was about 4 days ago. While the two hen's were roaming in the yard, I tried to introduce the little guy again and the agressive behavior started all over again. Please Help. Is this normal or do I have to remove the little guy permantly.

 

[CarriBrown]

Keep him in his own area but next to the hens so they can get used to him for a while longer. He may have a little bit more growing up to do before he goes in with an onry hen!

 

[maggiePI]

My poor banty's head and neck were bleeding after I tried to put her into my big hen's pen and this was after 6 months of being in the yard together. In the pen she had nowhere to go to escape. I put her in at night as was suggested and when I went to get her in the morning - they had nailed her badly. In the yard they just chased her off a few feet and went on about their pecking business.