New chicken aggression

[grcrockett]

Today we got four more chickens from a friend, one americaun, one red sex link, one RIR, and black one that i dont know the breed of (yet). I already have 24 chickens, 15 red sex links and 9 orpingtons. The problem is with the four i just got. The others pick at the americauna so bad that they have pulled out most of her tail and back feathers and the black one has an injured comb from her (obviously failed) attemlpt to fight. I was told she liked to fight but wasn't good at it. I have them in a coop inside my chicken yard for them all to acclimate slowly but is there anything i can do to keep them off of the americauna and the black one? I'm hoping a bigger chicken yard and coop will help once they've moved but should i seperate the four new ones for now? I have a large dog kennel i can use for 1-2 chickens. Any other ideas or just leave them together as they've always been?

 

[redsoxs]

It's very common for the newbies to get picked on. I'd get that Americana out and isolated soon. Here's a great article about integrating new chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method
And here's another: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock
Best wishes!

 

[grcrockett]

These four have always been together. I'm thinking after my husband explained the coop they were in if they were bored. It was apparently small and they were fed pellets which I've read can lead to boredom. Have you experienced this?