Introducing new chickens ...

[sophiaw00]

I have a question on introducing chickens. I have 8 pullets that are just about to start laying (I think they are 22 weeks). I bought a rooster (hatched last September) and another pullet (was originally ordered with my 8 girls, then seperated when I bought the first 8, so they are the same age). The rooster was accepted within 30 minutes of introduction but the female was attacked. Feathers on her neck were ripped out and she was bleeding. I took her away from them and cleaned the wound. I let her have a day to herself before letting her see the other chickens again. I made sure there was no more blood on her as well. I then put her in a crate inside the run. She made friends with one of my salmon faverolles and one of my white marans (my two most docile pullets). Both my blue andalusians were the bullies. I put her on the roost bar and she woke up with them. I woke up shortly after they did and she had flown 6 feet to the top of the coop door (have no clue how she flew that high to be honest). I put her in a crate for the day, letting her out for supervised visits with them (for about an hour at a time). I put her on the roost again that night and when I got up she had walked into the crate. The door was still open but she was just sitting in there. That was this morning. It's been almost a week since the introduction process began (and since she was attacked) and it's gotten a lot better. Today I left her in the crate with the door slightly open so she could get in and out as she pleased. This was unsupervised. I went back outside and she was walking around, just fine. She was foraging but when I picked her up she had more cuts on her comb and another small bloody spot on her neck where a couple feathers had been ripped out. I put her in the crate and closed the door.

I'm not sure if this is what I should be expecting? Like normal injuries for an introduction? She doesn't seem to be in any pain really (I'm sure it stings but it isn't bothering her too much). Am I being too paranoid by putting her into the crate or is this what I should be doing?

 

[daskhan]

I had a chicken who was the youngest by far and therefor the bottom of the pecking order they would chase her and beat her up to no end.. So I put her on the roost and she refused to come down after that eventually the other birds would sleep with her and left her alone but up there she stayed it wasn't till I reduced my flock did she venture out now she's laying and is happy I think what I was trying to say is she's the bottom of the pecking order specially being new. There's also a number of introduction methods to use non of which seemed mentioned could have been mating attempts although you said it was hens so I'd go with they are showing her.. Her place but seems like she's fine now?

 

[sophiaw00]

Sorry...I put her in a crate in the run for awhile so they could see her without hurting her. Then I let her out, supervised, after several days which is when she was attacked. Then I started putting her on the roost at night which is another method.

Here's some photos showing the scrapes on her face and the spots on her neck where she was attacked.


The small spot where you see some blood is the spot where a few feathers were ripped out.

You can see some small scrapes on her face.

More of the small scrapes on her face (other side) from being pecked.

Her comb.

This large spot where feathers are missing is from the first (and only) time she was really attacked. This was from the top of the pecking order.

This was taken today.

I don't think any of these are too serious and she seems to be doing fine, other than being slightly scared of the two andalusians and one of my EEs. Is this normal for an introduction?

 

[Skylercarr]

Usually introducing only 1 chicken to a flock they will get picked on since there new. That's why when you introduce chickens you should introduce 2 chickens at the same time so they have each other. But since you don't have another hen to be with her you should expect some feathers being plucked.

 

[sophiaw00]

Usually introducing only 1 chicken to a flock they will get picked on since there new. That's why when you introduce chickens you should introduce 2 chickens at the same time so they have each other. But since you don't have another hen to be with her you should expect some feathers being plucked.

As I posted, I brought home a rooster and a hen because I know they shouldn't be introduced alone. The rooster was accepted right away, she wasn't.

 

[QueenMisha]

@sophiaw00

Some bullying is normal, the issue is most likely that it was a pair you introduced, not multiple pullets. Males and females have a different pecking order entirely - imagine two columns, side by side. One column is hens, with the dominant females and the top and the submissive females at the bottom. The other is the male column - head rooster at the very top, all submissive roosters below him. If both birds are adult or point of lay/point of crow juveniles, these columns will not intersect. This is why the rooster was accepted immediately - he doesn't apply to the females pecking order. The hen, however, is part of the female column, and so was fair game for bullying.

How bad is the injury? Is it an actual skin tear or wound, or just broken/pulled feather(s) and scraped facial skin? If it's an injury, you'll want to separate her, and place the least dominant of the other pullets in her cage once she is healed, then release them together after a few days. If it's just a broken/pulled feather, you should apply Pick-No-More or another anti-picking solution to the affected areas and return her to the run. Some bullying and feather picking is normal with new birds and easily solved by good introduction techniques and anti-picking solutions, but if it gets to the point of wounds and skin tearing, you need to be more careful with your approach.

 

[sophiaw00]

I posted pictures above. I'm pretty sure it's just pulled out feathers but she did bleed after they were pulled out.

 

[QueenMisha]

Feathers pulled from the base will bleed, as will broken pin feathers. The anti-picking lotion is designed to repel birds from picking - I believe its a combination of upleasant smell, unpleasant taste, and color to cover the blood that deters them from picking. I've always had excellent success with it, as have those I've recommended it to.

 

[daskhan]

Vapo rub works too

 

[sophiaw00]

All was going well. I cleaned up her neck so there was no blood on it (didn't have vapo or Pick-no-more) and she was walking around and eating with the other chickens just fine. This morning, I found her attacked. Actual skin tear and wound on her neck. I thought she was dead when I found her but I believe she's just in shock. It hurts me to see her hurt and I need to know what to do. Will she ever be able to be introduced? I know it will take a lot of time. Shes not with the other chickens right now by the way if anyone was worried about that. I cleaned her up and let her sleep on my lap while I watched TV. What's the next step?