jealous chickens?

[GwenReaper]

I have a question a friend of mine asked me and I was stumped.

I gave her a chick that is 3 months old to add another layer to his flock. Since he brought it home his chickens never accepted it. they chased it away from the feeder and water where he had to add another one so the chick would get food. And he told me the chick likes jumping up in the nesting box and hanging out. But now the layer have stopped laying. He went from getting 3-4 eggs a day to 1 egg in the last week. Are the chickens not laying because they are mad the chick hang out near there nesting boxes? Or could it just be the extreme heat we are getting 100 degrees and 117 heat indexes? And what can he try to do to introduce these chicken right? I have just never had that problem with my flock- not even when I introduced another rooster! So please help!

 

[gardenak]

I say it's the heat that caused them to stop laying. I have some that are on strike and I don't have that excuse here.

Not sure if chickens actually get jealous but there is definietly a pecking order that must be followed. The new one will work it's way into its place in the order and everything should be fine. If not, then it will have to be removed. I'm waiting for an integration here myself with the youngsters in the greenhouse and the ladies of the main coop.

Also, are your friends chickens all the same and the new one the odd man out? If that's the case the residents might pick at her more since she's different.

Good luck

 

[GwenReaper]

yes. he has 5 dominques(sp?) and the new one is a mutt- but a cute mutt

Its been over 3 weeks and they are still not accepting it.