Murderous hens

[DrTheMomm]

My original flock of six has been diminished to three. We still have one Australorp (Anne Boleyn) and two Amberlinks (Katherine Parr and Detroit). We rehomed a banty of unknown breed, but very, very beautiful, hence her name, Bella. Then a friend gave me two Rhode Island Reds. Heloise was murdered by a fox, and poor Hildegarde is not accepted by the other girls. They won't let her eat or drink, so she huddles off by herself away from everybody else. Somedays, when the girls come out for their afternoon stroll and oatmeal treats, she stays back in the Palace Courtyard (the enclosed run where they live) by herself, though she has recently been joining the other girls. Then the other day, a friend brought us Harry Bailley, who is also a Rhode Island Red. I'm afraid the other girls are going to kill her. She huddles in the bunkhouse (where they lay eggs and roost at night) in one of the nesting boxes, but the other girls go into the bunkhouse and jump on top of her and peck on her. Even the little banty does this! We're afraid they are going to kill her. She has blood on her neck. We've kept her separate from the rest of the flock, but we're afraid that they will all gang up on her and kill her. Should we give her back to the friend, or is there any hope that we can integrate these unruly girls? The thing that is odd is Detroit was always the sweetest of the girls, not at all bright, but sweet. She's the worst offender now. Anne Boleyn used to be the Head Hen, but she doesn't seem all that interested in the internecine rivalry that has become so deadly.

 

[Kidwantschickens]

Have you tried putting her in at night? I added chicks at night to the roosting pole and they seemed.to.wake up in the morning and accept that the other.hens had been there all along.aybe try letting her heal and then integrating her at night?

 

[pekin queen]

@FeatherFeetFarm @Lemon-Drop @Silkie Princess @JustBabyMargo and any one else that i cant remember of the top of my head

 

[cluckcluckhens]

From experience we had a SLW that hardly grew. Fast on her feet. For years I protected our Australorp girls. Someone told us when a bird want to draw blood on another it is time to end it. We didn't and lost all of our Australop girls years ago. Keeping ours in a separate coop for three months did not help. I would watch the one very carefully all day long. Farm store here advised us to end her. He actually did shortly after talking to the store.
Be advised to watch all day long. Ours pecked them on the head and drew blood and kept doing it every day. First one stayed in the coop all day scared of the one attacking her. She only attacked the Australorp girls. She was a silver laced wyandotte. Other two wyandotte girls did not do this.

 

[DrTheMomm]

Have you tried putting her in at night? I added chicks at night to the roosting pole and they seemed.to.wake up in the morning and accept that the other.hens had been there all along.aybe try letting her heal and then integrating her at night?

We block the door to the bunkhouse at night so the other girls sleep in outside in the courtyard and Harry Bailley sleeps where she feels safe - in the bunkhouse. No one will be able to use the nesting boxes tomorrow, but they also won't be able to kill her. She has food and water in the bunkhouse.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How are you handling integration with these new birds? You didn't mention it at all, so are you just putting them in with no introductory period (i.e. see but don't touch)? Chickens are territorial and will defend their space - new additions should to be introduced gradually.

 

[aart]

How are you handling integration with these new birds? You didn't mention it at all, so are you just putting them in with no introductory period (i.e. see but don't touch)? Chickens are territorial and will defend their space - new additions should to be introduced gradually.

Ditto Dat.

Here's some tips about....
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.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[3KillerBs]

Some useful links:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

I havent seen you in awhile @aart ! I was wondering where you went!

Yes. As aart said, integration is a must. See no touch. Let the others birds see her, but put a fence in between so they cant touch, or harm, her. After this experiece it may take over the normal week to integrate. I have found that the best way of integration is, after a little while of see no touch I start putting the chicken that I want integrated on the roost bar at night. Then in the morning I seperate them again. Let the new hen out during free range time and make her go out. That way she can run. It sounds like she is a more submissive hen. Some chicken just WILL NOT integrate. For now, take care if her wounds. You can get Vetricyn, and BlueKote. Instead of Vetricyn you could also use triple antibiotic with no painkillers. Obviously the Vetricyn/Triple Antibiotic works to heal the wounds. The BlueKote keeps the other hens eyes off the wounds.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Just saw the tag, but @aart gave you plenty of information. I don’t have much to add.