Introducing New Hens To My Flock

[Smmarques1]

I am new to chicken life and we started with 5 hens about a month ago. Everyone got along very well. Established pecking order and had no issues. However, 2 days ago we got two new hens and brought them into the coop slowly. The two new hens are smaller and we were worried about them and that was not the issue at all!! My issue is one of the other hens being picked on. All the hens original and new are picking on my larger chicken. Pulling out feathers and pecking and scratching her. She pretty much hides all day and then at bed time she is kicked out of every box she tries to sleep in. It finally stops and everyone goes to sleep but it's very difficult to watch this all day long. Any suggestions???

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC...sorry you are having troubles.
Chicken hierarchy can be complicated.
I'd guess that adding the new birds changed the pecking order and the one girl ended up on the bottom of the totem pole as the 'low hen'.

Knowing more about the flock and their housing might help us help you figure out a solution. Fill in the missing info on:
-your flock size(numbers, ages, genders).
-your coop and run(size in feet by feet with pics).
-what and how exactly you are feeding.

 

[Smmarques1]

Our coop is roughly 450 Sq ft. It's massive LOL. We have low nesting boxes, higher nesting boxes. They have food up in their boxes and down below.
All hens are between the ages of 5 months to 7 months.
Swedish flower TOP Dog!!
Silver laced wyandotte
Mixed Bantam
2 mixed Bantam with silver laced wyandotte mixed in
Lavender english orpington "biggest bird and the own being picked on"

 

[aart]

Ahh.....a large open air 'coop' and run combo.
What is your location in the world?

Might want to add some diversionary enrichment aspects to your enclosure.
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.

 

[Juliemarso]

i have 3 new roosters, (along with some pullets) and one old rooster who has almost always been the only one. "oldie" sets out everyday and attacks just 1 in particular of my roosters and i feel the same situation as you. i just put them all back in the pen they were raised in, but im going to have to turn them loose eventually. they are free range so im guessing they can go hide. and they have the whole barn to themselves to find roost at night.

 

[Smmarques1]

We are building some little wooden boxes for them today and have already placed a large dog crate in there for now so they can hide out. We are in sunny florida so we wanted an open concept BC it gets so hot here. Lots of moving air for them.
They have lots of room to run around and the pics I sent are a week or so old. We have since added new perches and some fun things for them to enjoy

 

[Smmarques1]

Thankfully after several days everyone is getting along well. Actually wonderfully Thank Goodness!! I have another question... I know hens sing the egg song however I have one hen that just goes NUTS every time another hen is laying an egg. And I mean every single, every single day and for hours. I live in a residential neighborhood and this kinda concerns me. Do they grow out of this or is there some thing I can do to stop or at least quiet her down? I try to distract them with treats ect but then everyone stops trying to lay BC they now want treats LOL

 

[Pork Pie]

Thankfully after several days everyone is getting along well. Actually wonderfully Thank Goodness!! I have another question... I know hens sing the egg song however I have one hen that just goes NUTS every time another hen is laying an egg. And I mean every single, every single day and for hours. I live in a residential neighborhood and this kinda concerns me. Do they grow out of this or is there some thing I can do to stop or at least quiet her down? I try to distract them with treats ect but then everyone stops trying to lay BC they now want treats LOL

Unfortunately, it's my experience that noisy chickens remain that way, regardless of what one may try.