Introducing new hens in winter

[Samannemm]

Hi all!
I just want to make sure what I am doing is the correct thing. I had neighbors complain about my rooster's noise so I ended up rehoming him, which left me with 2 cinnamon queens. I ended up getting 4 more hens of varying breeds. I have a run that is about 12 x 5 feet and a coop that can hold about 12 hens. I basically cut the run in half with plastic fencing and it has been about a week now of the new hens being introduced. I decided to integrate the two flocks quicker than I wanted to because it is now at freezing temps and didn't want the new hens to freeze (I've only been using a cardboard box with straw for them up until now). While in the run together, they all did fairly well, although my cinnamon queens were the bullies-I knew this would happen as they were pecking at the new birds through the fence from day one. I was able to supervise them for about an hour and isolated one of my cinnamon queens on the other side of the run. It started getting dark so all of the hens went into the coop. They were interacting fine until the other cinnamon queen flew through a small break in the top of the plastic fencing! Once she went into the coop, both of my cinnamon queens started bullying the new hens. I removed the same cinnamon queen again and simply locked her out of the coop for about 20 mins. I then tried to re-integrate her and the pecking began again, but this time the other cinnamon queen was much worse! I then pulled out the other cinnamon queen and closed the coop off for a bit. I reintegrate her and again sand the original bully appeared to be pecking at the new bully! So then the new bully went and started pecking the new hens again to the point of pulling out feathers. I intervened again before blood could be drawn and put her in a dog crate. Ideally this dog crate would fit in the coop but doesn't. Because of the freezing temps I put her in my shed in the crate (probably about 40F in the shed w/ no windchill). I left a small flashlight on for her on the other side of the shed just so she's not completely in the dark. I plan on reintegrating her tomorrow morning and then separating the two flocks again for the beginning of the day (I have a full day tomorrow) and then again in the evening I will let them roam around with each other. Will the isolated hen be okay? Is separating the flocks again a good idea since I can't monitor them all day? Any advice would be appreciated, I'm still very new to chickens!
Thanks!!!

 

[andreanar]

Is there any way that you can put some of that fencing up in the coop to keep them separated in there too?

 

[Chickassan]

The seperated hen will be fine,in fact if she's your bully you could try just keeping her seperate while everyone else gets to know each other. If she's just being a terror at roost time put up a divider to separate your roost in two.

 

[Samannemm]

I don't think I can separate the coop with the materials I have at the moment at least. There are so many parts of the coop that open and different bars for them to perch on it would be hard to divide unless I just had a small wired box to put her in or something. I was just going to wake up early tomorrow to return her with the others, I hope she's okay with the temperature too!

 

[Chickassan]

She'll be fine, it has to be like 20 degrees before a chicken even thinks about getting cold. And as for separating your roosts,you can use something as simple as cardboard. The big idea behind this is hens won't peck something they can't see even if it's just roosting on the other side of a piece of cardboard.

I don't think I can separate the coop with the materials I have at the moment at least. There are so many parts of the coop that open and different bars for them to perch on it would be hard to divide unless I just had a small wired box to put her in or something. I was just going to wake up early tomorrow to return her with the others, I hope she's okay with the temperature too!

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, with ^^ if it is dark in the coop, it is just until they go to sleep that you need to worry about, they just need to get out of sight of each other. I would leave the pop up door open, so in the morning they can escape to the coop, though with the shorter days, mine are still asleep when I get there.

Cardboard can be stuck in with gorilla tape. I have tapped in small nails in the rafters, and then hung a piece of chicken wire from that.

And cold weather is your friend, I have found they are not nearly so picky who they are by, when it is dang cold!

 

[CSAchook]

You've gotten some really good advice in the above posts!
I would add that, within the run, adding different levels, so the new comers can get up higher than the bullies, can really help a lot. Doesn't have to be anything fancy: dog crate, milk crates, roost bars anything that helps them get above eye level of the bullies on the ground will help keep them out of the line of fire.
I think letting them interact during free range time (if that is an option for you) can also help reduce fighting and stress. More space = less problems.

Best of luck!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC...sorry you're having troubles.
Chicken viciousness can be very alarming.

a coop that can hold about 12 hens.

What does that mean feet by feet?
Run is kinda small for 6 birds, especially if they don't like each other.
Dimensions of coop, and especially pics of coop and run inside and out would greatly help us suggest something specific.
Knowing your climate can be of great assistance also,
putting your location in your profile is the best way to do that.

Here's my notes on integration, might find something useful there.
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Samannemm]

Looks like I don't have any pictures of the full run but I do have some of the coop. I may also be off on the dimensions of the run...
The coop has 6 nesting boxes and dimensions of the coop are:
Height: 46.9"
Width: 48.6"
Length: 46.5"
Here are pictures of the coop..

Also, now the new hens will not sleep in the coop with the old hens because they're such bullies (they only did it that first night when I had one of my cinnamon queens crated). I have put each of my cinnamon queens into the crate at separate times and then together, but only for a few hours. I read on other posts that I may have to pull both of them out for several days and then reintroduce them one at a time. Thankfully, no blood has been drawn and there are a lot of places for the new birds to hide so I try to stay out of it but if I'm working in the yard and one of my cinnamon queens won't let up is when I've gone in and crated them. Should I crate them for several days? These poor new girls have been using a cardboard box as their coop while my two cinnamon queens basically have a palace lol.

Welcome to BYC...sorry you're having troubles.
Chicken viciousness can be very alarming.


What does that mean feet by feet?
Run is kinda small for 6 birds, especially if they don't like each other.
Dimensions of coop, and especially pics of coop and run inside and out would greatly help us suggest something specific.
Knowing your climate can be of great assistance also,
putting your location in your profile is the best way to do that.

Here's my notes on integration, might find something useful there.
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[aart]

The ~4x4 measurement includes the nests?
Dimensions look like they came from a website...got a link?
The '12 hens' sounds like the typical overestimate for number of birds.

Coop is too small for 6 birds,
especially if they don't like each other(as happens when integrating).
You might be able to modify it for a better fit.
Post a pic of inside of coop?

Knowing your location really helps,
you can put it in your profile and then it's always there!