New hen not welcome

[TLH66]

I recently bought a new young hen. I have a couple of other hens that have a pen but mainly free range. One of my hens keeps chasing the new girl and she spent all day in the brush. Well tonight she came to the coop to roost and the other hen chased her out and now she's out spending the night in the brush. Any ideas?

 

[speckledhen]

It takes time for a newbie to find her place in a flock. It's easier to incorporate two or more into a group. A loner is very difficult. I find that eating together is a bonding activity, to a degree, so I get a pan of something I've prepared like oatmeal and eggs or something they can all dive into and put it in the middle of them or throw out handfuls of scratch to the group. I don't ever buy birds, but I do incorporate youngsters in with adults and it's always the same. Also, shorty roosts that only one bird can get on at a time helps with one bird who needs a place to sleep away from the crowd. Time is the cure.

 

[junebuggena]

Very normal. Chickens take their social order very seriously and do not take kindly to strangers. It's best to give the birds a chance to acclimate to one another with the look-but-don't-touch method for at least a week before allowing them to meet without any barriers.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I recently bought a new young hen. I have a couple of other hens that have a pen but mainly free range. One of my hens keeps chasing the new girl and she spent all day in the brush. Well tonight she came to the coop to roost and the other hen chased her out and now she's out spending the night in the brush. Any ideas?

did they get any time to adjust... this new hen is an intruder best thing is to put her on a place where she can be seen but not touched or chased leaver her there for about a week then let her back in slow and easy

 

[speckledhen]

This kind of roosts helps a lot. I have a pullet now who was having a difficult time and a separate short roost is helping (a length of 2x2, sanded smooth, attached to a angled shelf bracket and screwed to a stud) It works very well for outcasts. Here is one of ours we used for Athena when she was young, though this one is not on a shelf bracket.

 

[TLH66]

Might be to late. I can't catch her and have no idea where she is roosting. Hoping she wanders into the pen tomorrow.

 

[Chickassan]

That's a really good idea!

This kind of roosts helps a lot. I have a pullet now who was having a difficult time and a separate short roost is helping (a length of 2x2, sanded smooth, attached to a angled shelf bracket and screwed to a stud) It works very well for outcasts. Here is one of ours we used for Athena when she was young, though this one is not on a shelf bracket.
View attachment 1185256

 

[aart]

Might be to late. I can't catch her and have no idea where she is roosting. Hoping she wanders into the pen tomorrow.

You may have to watch her closely to find where she is roosting.
Might be a good idea to keep the main flock cooped up until you catch the newbie.