New girls

sassyhens

In the Brooder
6 Years
Nov 3, 2013
15
0
24
Sherwood, OR
So I have an issue, we got a rooster and two half silkies/ half aracaunas. The rooster is about five month and the halfies are four. We introduced ten two month pullets a week ago to the new rooster and halfies. My issue or question is one if the halfies is a ***** and pecks at the new pullets and corners them in the coop. We have adaquate space inside and out. Why is she doing this? Are they still figuring our their order? He doesn't seem to step in. We let them out in our covered run but not free range yet since we haven't got our old ladies out yet( still laying) what do I do? Will it get better once we let them free range?
 
I have introduced new chickens into my flock so many times I can't remember how many!!
First I'm going to ask.. how did you introduce them to your current flock?

When I first owned chickens I ended up being the lucky owner of 3 roosters. I later introduce 3 hens to the group after my roosters were about 1 year.

Maybe I'll just say how I've found best to introduce my chickens to their new flock members and also some things I do to stop their quarelling!

So when I introduce new chickens into my flock, I first place the new hens in a separate cage inside my chicken area, (a cage that is too high to fly in or out of, or has a top) I leave them like this for about a week. This way the current flock and the new hens can get aquanted to each other without the fighting or hulabuloo that happens when they are just thrown together. After about a week of them being together constantly like this I will get some scratch grains and call all my current flock over for a treat... while they are busy munching, I will let the new hens out of their separate cage, most often the original flock doesnt hardly notice. However I stay outside for about an hour after I let the new ones out. and I follow the new ones around a little, every time one of the other chickens comes up and tries to bully them, I push them away, I do this consistantly until the other chickens pretty much ignore the new ones...

Now yes they have to go through their authority thing every time you add new chickens. So you will have to allow a little abuse.. just watch for other chickens pushing the newbies away from food or water, or not allowing to sleep in coop. Most often it doesnt happen if you put the newbies into the coop at night, the other hens will know they are allowed in...

As for your situation, I would spend some time outside with those two.. and every time the one bullies the other, reach out and push the bully away, not hard or anything, but firm, like saying "Stop" I actually do say that when I push, I say, "NO" or "Stop" it might take a few times but once you've asserted yourself as boss the other chicken will leave the newbie alone! Dont worry, they will have little tusles or whatever, but its nessesary, however if I'm outside and they are being really agressive, I usually intervien or say say "girls... stop" loudly, and clap my hands, and that will stop them.

Hope that helps a little and makes sense! Good luck and keep me updated on what happens!
 
also forgot to add:

as in regards to getting better when free range... I'd have to say... Possibly, however, if that bully chicken isnt shown its not ok to corner the other, they will still do it when free range. although it may be fewer times... because of all the distractions.. but problems will still happen at night when its bed time.
 
welcome-byc.gif
the other responders have given you good advice.
 
Thank you all for the advice. We are going to try and relocate our old ladies this afternoon so maybe it will help. We didn't separate them like we probably should have. When we introduced the new ones someone said we should have them in a brooder or cage for a week, well we just put them in at night when they were roosting we were told that would be ok, I hope we didn't mess up on that part. The rooster doesn't seem to care that this one hen is picking on them. I'm not scared if their so if I have to step in I will. Hoping that when we in ally let them free range it will work itself all out. The rooster doesn't seem to want them outside in the covered run either but I think it's because the old ladies are in the grass thru the fence and he doesn't like that.
 
So we decided to put our new girls in a brooder inside the coop, they are still too little and we don't want too many issues or to lose any. Thanks for all the advice. An I think we did want was best when we put them in there they were starving so glad we did it.
 
I have introduced new chickens into my flock so many times I can't remember how many!!
First I'm going to ask.. how did you introduce them to your current flock?

When I first owned chickens I ended up being the lucky owner of 3 roosters. I later introduce 3 hens to the group after my roosters were about 1 year.

Maybe I'll just say how I've found best to introduce my chickens to their new flock members and also some things I do to stop their quarelling!

So when I introduce new chickens into my flock, I first place the new hens in a separate cage inside my chicken area, (a cage that is too high to fly in or out of, or has a top) I leave them like this for about a week. This way the current flock and the new hens can get aquanted to each other without the fighting or hulabuloo that happens when they are just thrown together. After about a week of them being together constantly like this I will get some scratch grains and call all my current flock over for a treat... while they are busy munching, I will let the new hens out of their separate cage, most often the original flock doesnt hardly notice. However I stay outside for about an hour after I let the new ones out. and I follow the new ones around a little, every time one of the other chickens comes up and tries to bully them, I push them away, I do this consistantly until the other chickens pretty much ignore the new ones...

Now yes they have to go through their authority thing every time you add new chickens. So you will have to allow a little abuse.. just watch for other chickens pushing the newbies away from food or water, or not allowing to sleep in coop. Most often it doesnt happen if you put the newbies into the coop at night, the other hens will know they are allowed in...

As for your situation, I would spend some time outside with those two.. and every time the one bullies the other, reach out and push the bully away, not hard or anything, but firm, like saying "Stop" I actually do say that when I push, I say, "NO" or "Stop" it might take a few times but once you've asserted yourself as boss the other chicken will leave the newbie alone! Dont worry, they will have little tusles or whatever, but its nessesary, however if I'm outside and they are being really agressive, I usually intervien or say say "girls... stop" loudly, and clap my hands, and that will stop them.

Hope that helps a little and makes sense! Good luck and keep me updated on what happens!
What you say is consistent with what works for me. To me it just a variation of the old "sibling rivalry" dynamics. I've made the mistake a couple of times of not keeping the newcomers in separate quarters long enough. One of our Easter Eggers, who I always though of as the sweetest, most even-tempered of all, suddenly became the evil step-sister when we introduced a couple of new 5-month-old redheads. Her eyes turned green, and a couple of times, I caught her trying to peck one of them to death. I did the clapping and scolding, and that seemed to work. It's been a month now, and things are more or less peaceful, but the redheads are still at the bottom of the pecking order. Fortunately, ours are free-range, so there's plenty of room to get out of the way.
 

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