New Hen Introduction - Not going so well...

[Lilys Chicks]

Hello! I'm new to chickens. About 2 weeks ago I purchased my first 4 hens. 2 are young and not laying yet, and 2 have been laying an egg a day for a week now. I decided to get another hen that was already laying to up my daily egg production, and I built a coop and run that would comfortably hold 5 hens. So I purchased the new hen and put her in the run with the other hens. Obviously I did something wrong, because 2 of my hens (one more than the other) are so mean to her! They won't let her come out of the coop without pecking and chasing her back into the house. I have food and water inside and outside the coop, so she's getting food and water. At night, they all seem to coexist fine. They all sleep side-by-side on the roost. But come morning, they're at it again, bullying the poor newbie. Are they just showing her who's boss, and will eventually stop?

 

[KDK1]

You might try putting her in a separate pen in the run where the others can still see her for while but as long as there is no bloodshed, I would just keep a eye on things for while and see if they work things out.

 

[mtnhens4]

We added 2 16 wk old chicks to our flock of 4 almost 1 yr olds in Dec. At first we had them in a seperate pen where they could see eachother but not touch then we let them in the run together and there was pecking and chasing but when they drew blood I seperated them again for a day or two. When I put them together I would watch closely and even stay in the run with them and "peck" the bullies on their heads when necessary. At night we would put the little girls on the roost with the big girls after all was quiet. At first my RIR would peck the little girls and push them off of the roost then I (the HEAD chick) pushed her off and gave her a taste of her own treatment, after 2 nights of this they just ignore the little girls. After 2 months there is still some chasing but the little girls just seem to stay out of the big girls way, co-exisiting even if they don't really like it.
This sight is a great resource, ask lots of questions, every one is so helpful.

 

[beefmaster]

they are going to fight the new hens for awhile till they get used to them.all you can do is keep an eye on them.