Nerve wracking integration

[Stephine]

Stephanie - beware of creating a trap. Every hide out needs two escapes.

Thank you, yes - I am careful about that - here's what I did. I also put a waterer and feeder up there.
I haven't seen any altercations yet this morning. Got up at the crack of dawn to let them out into the run. I gave them a slice of oat hay last night - so that the little ones could come back into the run , with the late to go roost hens distracted- and scattered their morning treats all over, so they are busy.
The RIR that had such a bad fight with the cockerel is being submissive to him this morning (she also got outfitted with a pair of peepers last night, so that might help...

 

[Stephine]

Grrr... seems some of the big ones aren't letting the little ones leave the coop. Thankfully there's feed and water in there, but still. And my little wimpy barred rock was giving them the stink eye and making them skitter around inside the coop. Chickens are such barbarians.

Time to throw the doors open again and let everyone out....

 

[SunnyX]

I have a chicken that has been pecked by the others; I want to nurse her back to health. Can anyone please help me?

 

[Stephine]

View attachment 1086814 I have a chicken that has been pecked by the others; I want to nurse her back to health. Can anyone please help me?

Probably better to start your on thread in the illness part of the forum, so people see your post.
My recommendation: isolate, but where the other chickens can see it (best is a wire dog crate placed in the coop at night, and in the shade in the run during the day. Use Vetericyn on the wounds.
Of course make sure she has good feed and clean water. Up the protein intake by feeding some extra mealworm treats regrowing feathers takes lots of protein.
Give a puoltry vitamin supplement.
Good luck!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Ditto that. Be sure to put her inside wire that they can't get at her until she's ready to be with the flock again. She might just be targeted again depending on why she was targeted this time.

 

[Stephine]

Yay! I am cautiously optimistic that the worst is over. While yesterday the big hens had the two newcomers pretty much confined to the coop, today they would be out in the run with the rest of the bunch each time I went down to check on them. I still put extra water in the coop (it was hot today) and just this morning added a couple overturned huge flower pots (my chicken prop of choice - so handy!) to divide the coop down the middle between the two trough feeders (which are on the wall under the poop boards) for a visual barrier. I think that helped, too. I only heard maybe 4-5 small carfuffles today, saw none and the little ones looked more confident. Maybe the heat helped - it had everyone just worrying about finding a cool spot and drinking water....
Tonight everyone was on the roosts - the little ones by themselves at one end but only maybe 18 inches away from one of the hens that was giving them a hard time (and got outfitted with peepers) before.
So that looks positive. I hope the worst is over!
- the little roo is working on his crowing. He started greeting us when we come home like our previous roos did - I missed that! Little Westley went from a "Yuhouu!" to a nice "youhuuhuhuuu!" in the course of a few days. I think he will have a splendid crow!
Soo happy not to be carrying chickens back and forth twice a day anymore!

 

[Stephine]

Last update:
Everyone seems pretty happy, though the little pullet is still clearly at the very bottom of the pecking order, but she usually sticks to the roo who watches out for her. The little roo is now bigger than the brahma hens and is pretty smoothly taking on the role of the leader. He is crowing a real rooster crow now and has started mating with the big hens. They seem to like him better than the previous roos and he is nicer to them than the previous roos. So all is good in the coop! Yay!