Need help with introducing new pullets

[Mid Wales chicken keeper]

Hi all, I recently added to my tiny flock of 3 birds (only 2 laying) with 3 lovely pullets. They have been in a separate coop and run, but can see each other through chicken wire. This has been the case since end of September.
Yesterday we removed the wire separating them and all it was like a war zone, so we quickly separated them again.
I'd love some advice, was I panicking? How bad should I let the fighting get before they re-establish the pecking order?

 

[azygous]

They were trying to establish a pecking order before you interrupted. Pecking order can be a bit messy. You will know when things have gone too far when chickens gang up on a new pullet by standing on her back and pecking at her head.

All other gymnastics are mostly for show. They will flare their neck feathers and dance and thrust their feet at each other, usually taking all of a few minutes before it ends in one or another running away.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So they are probably around two months old. By now you should be sure they are all pullets, not that it matters at that age.

What do your facilities look like. How big (in feet or meters) are your various coops and runs? How are they interconnected? Photos could be really helpful with this.

My main concern is that your facilities may be small, especially since you only have a few birds. When I integrate immature chickens the younger avoid the older. If they enter the personal space of an adult they are likely to get pecked. It doesn't take them long to learn to stay well away. For them to do that they need enough room to get away and then stay away. This is more than the square feet numbers you often see on here, especially for just a few birds. Integration just takes more room than after they are all mature and integrated.

There are techniques to improve the quality of the room you do have. That's why photos and sizes can help, so we can see which might work for you. Clutter (things they can get under, behind, or above) can break the line of sight. Separate feed and watering stations far enough apart so they don't have to compete for food and water can really help. Often that means in the run and in the coop. Many people have success with the safe haven concept. That's where they have holes the chicks can get through but the adults can't. Without knowing what you are working with it is hard to get specific.

A little pecking and chasing isn't too bad. The huge risk is when they can't get away and are trapped. If the hens start pecking at their heads they are trying to kill them. That gets serious quickly.

Each chicken has its own personality. Most hens are normal and not too hard to work with. Occasionally you get an aggressive one that is just a brute toward other chickens. Sometimes it is your sweetest hen that is a brute toward chicks. You can't tell until they are together. Most of the time this is not an issue but it is always a possibility.

We go through this all of the time. Sometimes it is really easy, sometimes not but still doable. Good luck!

 

[Mid Wales chicken keeper]

So they are probably around two months old. By now you should be sure they are all pullets, not that it matters at that age.

What do your facilities look like. How big (in feet or meters) are your various coops and runs? How are they interconnected? Photos could be really helpful with this.

My main concern is that your facilities may be small, especially since you only have a few birds. When I integrate immature chickens the younger avoid the older. If they enter the personal space of an adult they are likely to get pecked. It doesn't take them long to learn to stay well away. For them to do that they need enough room to get away and then stay away. This is more than the square feet numbers you often see on here, especially for just a few birds. Integration just takes more room than after they are all mature and integrated.

There are techniques to improve the quality of the room you do have. That's why photos and sizes can help, so we can see which might work for you. Clutter (things they can get under, behind, or above) can break the line of sight. Separate feed and watering stations far enough apart so they don't have to compete for food and water can really help. Often that means in the run and in the coop. Many people have success with the safe haven concept. That's where they have holes the chicks can get through but the adults can't. Without knowing what you are working with it is hard to get specific.

A little pecking and chasing isn't too bad. The huge risk is when they can't get away and are trapped. If the hens start pecking at their heads they are trying to kill them. That gets serious quickly.

Each chicken has its own personality. Most hens are normal and not too hard to work with. Occasionally you get an aggressive one that is just a brute toward other chickens. Sometimes it is your sweetest hen that is a brute toward chicks. You can't tell until they are together. Most of the time this is not an issue but it is always a possibility.

We go through this all of the time. Sometimes it is really easy, sometimes not but still doable. Good luck!

Hi, Ridgerunner, many thanks for this reassurance. The pullets are around 21 weeks old now and are all laying, they are almost the same size as the older flock. You are right about the sweetest hen being a brute. Ginger who always seemed to be the most submissive in the older flock was the one doing the main attacking.
In the new flock, Blackie, who seems to be most dominant ran straight into their coop and wouldn't take part in any confrontation.
The run space for the new ones is a bit small, around 4' x 9', a similar size to the older ones run, the difference being the older ones free range in the farmers field next door.
In order to let the new ones free range there as well, they have to cross through 'enemy lines ' to reach the entrance to the field.
I can't move the coop as there isn't space anywhere else, so they have to be integrated to have more room to forage.

 

[Mid Wales chicken keeper]

They were trying to establish a pecking order before you interrupted. Pecking order can be a bit messy. You will know when things have gone too far when chickens gang up on a new pullet by standing on her back and pecking at her head.

All other gymnastics are mostly for show. They will flare their neck feathers and dance and thrust their feet at each other, usually taking all of a few minutes before it ends in one or another running away.

Many thanks azygous.
I thought I had done the wrong thing, but it's very difficult to watch normally friendly and passive chickens become so quickly nasty, especially as they have been only separated by a piece of chicken wire since late September, and make noises at each all the time.
It's raining here today, so I'll try again soon, as I don't want to stand guard in the wet

 

[Ruffled Feathers]

If the integration seems too rough you can give new ones have a place to ‘hide.’ This could roosting bars or something else in the run so that’s it’s not just an empty area. I have also had luck with a separate feeder & waterer to help them ease into being integrated. But bottom line is the girls will naturally sort out the pecking order and that’s how it’s done. Watch for blood, that’s when it’s gone from establishing it to bulling.

 

[Mid Wales chicken keeper]

If the integration seems too rough you can give new ones have a place to ‘hide.’ This could roosting bars or something else in the run so that’s it’s not just an empty area. I have also had luck with a separate feeder & waterer to help them ease into being integrated. But bottom line is the girls will naturally sort out the pecking order and that’s how it’s done. Watch for blood, that’s when it’s gone from establishing it to bulling.

Thanks for your advice ruffled feathers. There are roosting bars at various heights in both runs, there is also a kennel with a sand box in it attached to the new chickens run which has space to hide in. They have separate feeders and water containers. I can put in a couple of apple crates for more hiding space.
I think the fight was more about territory, and of couse pecking order and me panicking too soon, there was some chest bumping, loud screeches and pecking, but no blood.
Will try again when the weather clears.

 

[Yardmom]

You mentioned free ranging. It might be easier to let them interact first when free ranging. That would give them the space they need to work out the pecking order before they need to worry about territory.

Since the pullets are of laying age this integration will be more like putting two grown flocks together. Expect there to be a bit more of scuffling than there would be with integrating chicks. .Still provide hiding spots in coop space, but either group could make use of them.

 

[Mid Wales chicken keeper]

You mentioned free ranging. It might be easier to let them interact first when free ranging. That would give them the space they need to work out the pecking order before they need to worry about territory.

Since the pullets are of laying age this integration will be more like putting two grown flocks together. Expect there to be a bit more of scuffling than there would be with integrating chicks. .Still provide hiding spots in coop space, but either group could make use of them.

Thanks very much for the suggestion Yardmom, it's a good idea.
The only difficulty I face with doing this is the older ones free range in the next door farmers field. There's only one entrance into it via a chicken sized tunnel the farmer allowed us to dig.
For the new chickens to get there, the have to go into the run belonging to the older chickens to access the tunnel.
Of course I could pick them up and carry them to the field, but am unsure if they would be able to find their way back to the coop. Maybe the farmer will allow me to put up temporary fencing so at least it would be easier to catch them when before sunset.

 

[azygous]

Maybe the farmer will allow me to put up temporary fencing so at least it would be easier to catch them when before sunset.

No fencing and no catching is required to get chickens back home at night or any time you wish. They are so easily conditioned to come to you upon hearing a cue. I use a dog training clicker but any noise signal will work.

All you have to do is to toss some treats while activating your noise cue. Repeat it several times and very soon the chickens will come running when they hear the signal. Reward them every time they come to the clicker, even after they are well trained and that keeps reinforcing the training.

Not long after I trained my chickens with a clicker, I noticed a coyote but the chickens hadn't. I clicked the clicker and all of the chickens were back in the run in less than a minute.