Hi, I'm new to this forum, so I hope I'm posting this in the right section. A long time ago, we got a few backyard chickens. Right now, several years later, we still have two of them, both Red Stars (who are best friends ) When we went on vacation a few months ago, a freind of a reletive had ordered the 'Rainbow Layers' from McMurray hatchery, and was trying to get rid of his White Leghorn chicks. We took seven of them home, and gave three to a friend, and we kept four. We kept them in a dog kennel in our backyard. A few weeks later, though, a raccon came and killed three of them . We kept the last one in a small dogpen (and brought her in at night) , but she soon grew out of it, and so we decided to put her in the sideyard with our other two hens, with a raccon-proof coop. She was about 15 wks. They began picking on her, and we thought they would stop, but now, several weeks later, they have still not warmed up to her. Its mostly in the mornings, before I come to let them out, and she has already gotten a few bleeding 'peck-wounds', on her neck and head. So we began locking her into the nesting box at night, so that our RS could see her but not get to her. They still pick on her though. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to intorduce a single chicken to two 'best freinds no intruders allowed' hens? We also have three, 5 wk old Black Stars, who we keep seperate. Do you think it will be a problem intorducing them, too? Sorry for the long post, but we also have another problem... We're keeping the hens in the side yard, which has a very tall chainlink fence facing our neighbors yard. There is no way the chickens could fly over it from the ground. However, our White Leghorn is EXTREMALLY flightly. She is terrified of everything. In the neighbors yard there is a pitbull dog who WILL kill anything that comes into its yard, and our WL has gotten into her yard by flying on top of the fence and into her yard. Luckily the pitbull wasn't in the yard, and we got her back. We clipped her wings even shorter, and put up something that will hopefully keep her out. Is there any way we can make her more calm? She's now about 16 wks. Also, on a completally off topic note, I had a really quick question about one of our Black Star chicks. She's just like the other two in appearance except she has a tiny bit of white flecking on her wings. Is this normal? Really sorry for the long post again. Some advice would be great! Thanks!
I can't answer the last couple of questions you posted, but as for suggestions on the first, if you can, try this. Separate the 2 (from each other) that are picking on the 3rd for a few days. Try reintroducing them one at a time. If that doesn't work, what about separating the other 2 & getting 1 more to keep with the 3rd, then reintroduce them? I would keep them nearby each other so they can see/hear/smell each other. But that's all I've got to offer. Good luck!
Black stars are hybrids. Sports of a color shouldn't be a concern. You're not breeding them anyway and if they lay eggs well, so what? They won't breed true. They're crosses to develop a good egg bird. Even black birds can have a bit of white on the wings as chicks. Those aren't their final adult feathers. As for your introduction. Free ranging together during the day initially always helps. Leghorns are flighty - period. Most birds can be calmed by handling and hand feeding. Try mealworms.
