New Hen In The Flock

[chickenjim64]

Does anyone know how long it will be before my flock excepts a new hen there very mean to her two days in a row when I went out to let them out she was cowering in the corner, do you think they will ever let her in the flock

 

[cposz]

It was over two weeks before our 3 crabby older hens accepted 2 new pullets this summer - miserable couple of weeks they were, too. The alpha hen will still charge them if they get too close, but she doesn't attack them anymore.
Good luck.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

i have found with my guineas and chickens, that it is best to introduce the largest number of new birds at once and do so in the biggest run/coop i have. I also put the new ones in the roost at night. Im not the chicken wisperer, but i think the more newbies u put, the more everyone of them feel like a stranger and they all chill.My rooster is usually the first one to check em out, and corral them as his women and the other hens just fall in!

 

[chickenjim64]

Someone gave me this hen along with a rooster I put the roo in there at night the nexy morning he was in heaven all those woman but they would have nothing to do with him quite the sight him dancing and strutting his stuff they just ignored him buy he wore em down, I had to wait to put the hen in because she was the only hen with the roo and she was raw on her back from him so I waited till her feathers grew back some i put her in the other night I just feel bad there picking on her, I'll give it a while just as long as there not drawing any blood I think she will be fine..

 

[teach1rusl]

Yes, it's always hardest adding a single bird. I added two, and honestly, this past week has been the first time that the two young(er) girls have joined the flock; they typically hide out in the coop. This has taken about 8 weeks

I would actually sit outside with a spray bottle and squirt any girl who went out of her way to be mean. And I would monitor at roosting time, placing the new pair on the roosts away from the others and "guarding" them until everyone got settled. I can understand getting snarky and territorial around treats/food, but not just outright meaness. Good luck. And like you said, just keep an eye on her to make sure they don't draw blood. Oh...and have two feeders and waterers available for them to insure the poor outsider can get to food without being attacked...

 

[chickenjim64]

Good idea about the feeders and waterers I' m going to do that today thank you

 

[lilmama]

I just added two- I started with one, but after chatting on this board got another the same age and and breed. I then separated the coop (with wire fencing) into two sides and the newbies are on one and the establlished flock on another. They eye eachother all day and I figure in a week or so I'll try putting the newbies on the "big girl" roost at night.

Good luck.

 

[KIDDSBANTAMS]

I added 4 new pullets a week ago today and it has been rough. The home girls are very mean to the newbie's and pick at them every chance they get. At night they fight for awhile getting in their place on the roosts. It does not seem to be getting much better. It is like a bunch of high school girls meaning mean to the new kid.