Mengling my 2 flock

pascale

Hatching
5 Years
Aug 21, 2014
6
2
7
Sammamish
Maran is gone as he was a rooster. Now I got another Maran and an EE. I have quarantined them. Then removed the boards so they could see each other. Now I have them together but my SexLink is sure on top of them. She chases them out beck into the corner and doesn't let them eat of move out of the corner. I have now separated them again during the day but they can see each other. At night I have the 2 young bullets go up to the perch. When it's dark out I let SexLink back in and she makes her way to the perch. WIthin 5 min the 2 young birds are in the nesting boxes. I think they sleep there all night and when I go in the morning they are chased out of the coop, back in the corner. This has happened now for 3 nights. Should I leave my SexLink out all night (within contained coop) but let the 2 young perch all night? I don't want the 2 young to get used to sleep in the nesting boxes as it get's pretty dirty in the morning. Suggestions???
 
Maran is gone as he was a rooster. Now I got another Maran and an EE. I have quarantined them. Then removed the boards so they could see each other. Now I have them together but my SexLink is sure on top of them. She chases them out beck into the corner and doesn't let them eat of move out of the corner. I have now separated them again during the day but they can see each other. At night I have the 2 young bullets go up to the perch. When it's dark out I let SexLink back in and she makes her way to the perch. WIthin 5 min the 2 young birds are in the nesting boxes. I think they sleep there all night and when I go in the morning they are chased out of the coop, back in the corner. This has happened now for 3 nights. Should I leave my SexLink out all night (within contained coop) but let the 2 young perch all night? I don't want the 2 young to get used to sleep in the nesting boxes as it get's pretty dirty in the morning. Suggestions???

How old are the two "young" pullets that you are introducing? How long was period where you had them able to see but not reach each other? How much space are the birds in now that they are together?
For feed/water - it is best to have more than one feed/water "station" - especially since there is only one original/bully bird it will be impossible for her to control more than one station at a time, allowing the new birds to have access to feed and water.
 
Sexlink is 5 months and laying daily. The 2 new are 4 months and almost 3 months. I had them see no touch for 1 week (maybe that wasn't enough time now that I'm thinking about it). They have a nice amount of space to run away from each other. I also have a dog crate where the 2 pullets started out and hide in when I open the 2 runs so they do have a space to hide. I have 2 waters and 2 feeders but Sexlink manages to stand her ground between the 2 feeders/waters. I take Sexlink out to forage on various occasions during the day so the 2 pullets can have the whole run to play around and get accustomed to the coop and perch. I only have 1 Sexlink no other birds that make up the "flock."

I can keep them separate for another week if that might be best. Should I keep my Sexlink in the coop or let her in the dog crate so she has some of her own medicine? That means I would need to move her nesting box (easy to do) so she can still lay in the moning. Or it is best the keep the pullets in the dog crate area?
 
I'd put the pullets in the coop and the RSL in the dog crate with her nest box, separated with wire so they can see each other, for at least 2 weeks if not a month...separate feed stations within the segregation obviously.

Your RSL is an assertive type, and she will dominate them as she is bigger and laying...my laying hens always dominate the young non-laying pullets...and since she is hogging and preventing them from eating (which can go on for quite some time)....I'd separate them as stated above.

After a couple of weeks, you can see if they integrate better, but likely the RSL will dominate until the others either are closer to full size or come into lay. The reproductive hormones will often bring out more assertive personalities and things tend to even out better...right now in my own flock, my Rhodebars, who were being dominated by the flock, have come into lay and holding their own better, but my Buckeyes have not come into lay yet and are still scurrying around out of the way of the laying hens....I've seen this pattern again and again over the years.

Sounds like you've given them plenty of wing space and spots for the younger to hide...that is very important in integration of new flock members....now its a bit more separation and time.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley
 
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Thank you for the feedback. She still layed her egg this morning so she's not too mad for staying out in the dog house last night. We'll give it 2 weeks and see how it goes.
 
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