My 16 week old Bantom is being bullied :(

[Skinnylou]

Hi I only started keeping hens a week ago so I am very new to this and new to the site. Last week we got 3 x blue haze hens and the are all around 22 weeks old and quite big. They were all kept together when we got them, so had no issues. I have always wanted bantams so today we got a 16 week old Columbian Bantom and she is beautiful. We put her out with the others as they are free range and they started on her straight away. She was petrified and kept running away, when we put then in the pen the other chickens were brutal and she is now bleeding on her comb. Luckily we had a spare coop we were given so now she is on her own in that and shaking so much poor girl. We have put the runs facing each other but she wont come down to even get food. We did think of going back to the farm and getting another from the same coop so she has a friend, but would they remember each other still a day later?

I am so deeply upset by this as I feel I have taken her away from where she was happy and introduced her to a nightmare of bullying.... Please any advice would be gravely appreciated!

 

[Corazon Ranch]

Chickens don't always become fast friends with new birds. They can and will kill each other on occaision.

I like to introduce new birds to the flock slowly. I keep them close to each other, so they can talk and get used to the idea, before putting them in actual contact.

I haven't tried the following, but it might help you.

I heard of someone breaking a broody hen by separating her in a cage within the coop. If you could introduce the new bird or birds in a way that they are safe from harm (note that a cage alone is not enough protection, unless it is suspended off the ground, or otherwise unreachable) while they get used to each other, the birds might have a chance at becoming a tight flock.

I have heard of birds that were just bullied by the flock their whole lives, so there are no guarantees.

But do keep them close to each other, and safe from harm.

 

[marianne7]

Hi I only started keeping hens a week ago so I am very new to this and new to the site. Last week we got 3 x blue haze hens and the are all around 22 weeks old and quite big. They were all kept together when we got them, so had no issues. I have always wanted bantams so today we got a 16 week old Columbian Bantom and she is beautiful. We put her out with the others as they are free range and they started on her straight away. She was petrified and kept running away, when we put then in the pen the other chickens were brutal and she is now bleeding on her comb. Luckily we had a spare coop we were given so now she is on her own in that and shaking so much poor girl. We have put the runs facing each other but she wont come down to even get food. We did think of going back to the farm and getting another from the same coop so she has a friend, but would they remember each other still a day later?
I am so deeply upset by this as I feel I have taken her away from where she was happy and introduced her to a nightmare of bullying.... Please any advice would be gravely appreciated!

We had a similar thing with our chickens, oh it was so painful to watch how they attack one bird - what I did, and it worked really well, separate the chicken that is being bullied for a few days, then put the top chicken in with her, for a couple of days, then slowly introduce the others in, give it a few days before you introduce another chicken and so on, this is so the smell gets on the newbie.. there will be some pecking but nothing like the bullieing you have experienced ....give it a try....regards Marianne

 

[marianne7]

We had a similar thing with our chickens, oh it was so painful to watch how they attack one bird - what I did, and it worked really well, separate the chicken that is being bullied for a few days, then put the top chicken in with her, for a couple of days, then slowly introduce the others in, give it a few days before you introduce another chicken and so on, this is so the smell gets on the newbie.. there will be some pecking but nothing like the bullieing you have experienced ....give it a try....regards Marianne

but by all means get some more new birds also, this does make the integration a lot easier....

 

[marianne7]

Just thought I would also mention, you said you newbie was bleeding....leave any integration with the other birds until this has healed, chickens will attack other chickens, and kill them if they are bleeding..blood attracts olther chickens in a bad way....but you will get throught this, I hated it when we first started having chickens, and no one told us how bad introducing other chicken could be....we sure found out, the hard way, but this way doing it one at a time, we found really worked, doing it slowly.... less painful too.- regards Marianne

 

[Skinnylou]

Thank you so much for the replies.....

I will defo try the one at a time approach. I know who the ring leader is so I will try it and hopefully the other will follow suit. I just hope this doesn't go on for long as I don't think my poor girl can take it.

I certainly won't be letting them out unless I am there to keep an eye on things.....

 

[Corazon Ranch]

My #1 rule about animals: Slower is faster!

If you try to rush it, you will have more problems.

Hope you have a happy flock soon!

 

[iFairyx]

Poor thing <3

It might be an idea to get her in some friends (once her injuries have healed).

I always find it easier to introduce new birds in groups

As other people have said, don't rush it - take your time introducing them and fingers crossed they will get along.

Sometimes I think bantams get picked on due to their size? I'd have a read up about this and see if it could be a problem
(my bantams are kept in a seperate area).

Good'luck
iFairy x

 

[Skinnylou]

thank you iFairy, my Husband went back to the place we got her from yesterday and got a Brahma from the same frock. i know Brahma's are very tame but i thought the size of her at only 16 weeks old may be a slight deterant! i just let the two of them roam free last night to reaquaint themselves and kept the other 3 in their run. the Bantom and the Brahma instantly went up to each other and followed each other round which was so lovely and such a relief. they went in their coop together too so at least they have a friend now.

so todays plan is to lightly cover the 5 of them in cider vinager and let them all out under my supervision and see what happens and then seperate them for bed again.

i was told that after a couple of days they will all go to bed together but my one blue haze is such a bully i just cant see it happening!! if it continues i have a friend who said they will take the bully off our hands as they already have 12 chickens and will add her to the flock.

i'm just sorry worried tonight will end the same as the other night.... wish me luck