Introducing new 16 week old hens not working well...at all!!

[Yard full o' rocks]

Well, Sunday night we put our three, 16 week old Partridge Rock hens in with the laying flock. Today, I found the 3 young PR girls huddled in a corner, behind the waterer, with several of the older hens "standing guard" over them. 2 of the young PRs were hurt. 1 has a wound on herelbow on the left wing, the other has a large bald and bloody spot on her hind end. We took all 3 of them out and put them back into the "grow up pen"....will have to doctor them later I suppose.

Isn't 16 weeks old, old enough to introduce to the adults? I know that they need to establish the whole pecking order thing, but this was pretty brutal. i'm guessing one would have been killed sooner or later if we hadn't moved her.

I have a batch of Del babies due next week and will need the grow up pen for them eventually. Will these girls ever survive with the laying girls?

Several of the laying girls are a bit "feather poor" from mating....would that cause them to pick the feathers off the other ones like this?

Looking for suggestions and THANKS!!!

PS - coop is plenty large (I think). Its 6ft x 8ft with a 20x20 attached run. Including the 3 newly introduced birds there were only 10 total in there.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Sorry I don't have much to say. Can you work in some more hiding and roosting places? Can you expand the run?

 

[starforever61]

I have a pretty good solution-strange but it works. Hang half a cabbage just high enough so the hens will have to jump to get at it. Hang a couple of them. That will keep them busy and off of the newcomers, and at night when they're roosting, they'll feel less inclined to beat anyone up because it's nighttime and they're tired.

 

[cgmccary]

If you are able, take out the top two-three hens and put your 16 week old pullets in the coop & RUN with the lower hens. Then re-introduce the dominant hens after a few days, 1 at a time (in other words, try and break up pecking order for a few days).

I am guessing you do not have a Rooster? An older, good Rooster will keep order and break up fights and altercations.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
I actually do have a rooster, but he is young yet. About 24 weeks old. I like your idea. Gonna get these girls "healed up" then try your trick by taking out the dominant ones and returning them eventually

 

[Triggerjay]

I had the same problem... this was before I found BYC... I took some sterelite containers (wal mart tubs) and cut a hole in each tub, only big enough for the little girls to get in. I cut them near the top of the tub, so when you flip the tub upside down, the hole is near the ground. I placed four of these in our enclosure, and one inside the coop. When the big hens would go after the small hens, they would run into the tubs for cover, and the big hens couldn't get to them. Over time, they learned to live with each other.. well, until the coon killed all but two of the little ones. The two I have left get along fine these days with the rest of the flock.

Jason