Introducing a new stray hen.

[demiyu]

Hello,

My friend found a hen (a New Hampshire) who was unclaimed by her neighbors so I took her in. I’m a pretty new owner of chickens, I have 3 hens (two buff orpingtons and one Wyandotte) and this is my first time as a chicken owner. My existing chickens are almost a year old and I don’t know the age of the new chicken.

I’ve been keeping the old chickens and the new one separate for a few days now, but since I’m not set up with a proper coop for the new chicken, she keeps escaping the temporary coop I made for her. Yesterday she escaped and joined the old chickens who were free ranging in our yard.

They seemed to be getting along fine, then the new hen started burrowing herself under my old chickens. The old chickens ignored it for a few minutes, then two of them started pecking her and I separated them immediately.

Should I allow this as a natural way for them to establish their pecking order? Why does she borrow herself under the other chickens? Any tips on integrating them?

Thank you!

 

[SweetTea&Chicks]

It's totally fine for them to peck her like that. When I'm introducing a new hen I'll seperate with chicken wire so they can see her and used to her. There's less pecking that way but there will still be some. I'm not sure about the burrowing part though.

 

[Celeste Cannon]

They don't seem too aggressive towards the new chicken so it seems fine to put them together. If the pecking is bad though, put the new bird in a dog crate inside of your birds run. That way they can see each other but not harm each other. If you do that for a week or two, they should be used to each other and you can take the chicken out of the crate. I don't know why she burrows herself under the other hens, but it sounds pretty cute!

Heres a video to help you with the dog crate thing (just in case you need it):

 

[sourland]

Allow them to work things out. Only intercede if they start a serious beatdown and drawing blood.

 

[pennyJo1960]

the burrowing possibly is to pay homage to the older birds?

 

[SweetTea&Chicks]

We have a game hen who absolutely beats up new chickens. We used to just have her and another chicken but it died and it was her. We got three new chickens and she would just beat them up. We put her in a dog crate with a little kennel in it. We got prefab coop kit and built it for her. We kept her in there like a week and let her out. When they would walk by her she would just peck them; but she's gotten better. I'm just telling stories now but we added a new chicken once and she nearly killed it. She had pecked it's head really bad and it barely survived.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They seemed to be getting along fine, then the new hen started burrowing herself under my old chickens. The old chickens ignored it for a few minutes, then two of them started pecking her

Can you post some photos of the new hen? Wonder how old she is?

I agree with the others, let them work it out. Your old hens will peck at her-as long as there's no pinning down and blood drawn, just observe.

 

[aart]

the burrowing possibly is to pay homage to the older birds?

No, the burrowing bird is afraid and trying to hide under her flock mates.

 

[Bugpreisler]

Allow them to work things out. Only intercede if they start a serious beatdown and drawing blood.

Hi! Why do you say this? I'm curious because I'm attempting to introduce a new hen and come morning in the run together they all gang up on (3to 1) her and chase her around. After about an hour I can't take much more so I separate the new hen. When does it become too much? I don't want it to get to the point of blood shed! How do you feel about this articles method of intervening? Just curious. Thanks! https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/reintegrating-a-recovered-hen-to-a-small-flock.69359/