New pullet with adult hens

[hebegray]

One of my 8 hens (my favorite one) was killed by a foster dog in my back yard. My hens (golden buffs, barred rocks, and a Rhode Island White) are 9 months old and get along well with each other. Yesterday I went out and bought a 4-month old Ameracauna, and they have terrorized her. She either curled up in a fetal position and played dead in the far corner of the run, under the coop, or hid in the nesting box. Today I finally put her in a large airline dog crate in the chicken run with her own food, water, and roosting bar, but she's so frightened she just hides in the back corner behind her personal feeder. Any ideas on how to better integrate her into the flock? The others just kind of peek out at her now. How long should the process take?

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

chickens are brutal when introducing new birds, as i see you've found out the hard way. what you are doing with her separate is a good plan. i have never tried to introduce a single bird to so many others, i usually try to do more even groups so they are not alone. i would keep her separate but visable to the other birds for awhile, and then try to introduce them again. be careful and watchful though, because your other girls will kill the newbie if things are rushed. i had a close friend that introduced four too fast all all but one was killed. i've also heard to people putting them in at night while they are all roosting and then not having any problem. i would be out there first thing in the morning if you do that so you can observe how they act and see if it worked.

good luck! hope you attain a peaceful flock!

 

[hebegray]

I actually introduced her after dark last night into a dark coop -- this morning she was in the nesting box (she's not laying yet) but wasn't being tormented. I guess I wait and see. Tomorrow I'm taking her out into the yard by herself for awhile. Unfortunately my permit (city backyard chickens) won't allow more than 8. A few months ago I introduced one chicken, and after a week or so they integrated - but she was the same age. They didn't torment her as badly.

 

[Spartan22]

Even with multiple new pullets I introduce them to existing flock slowly. I usually add them @12 wks old with see no touch technique then by 4-6 wks later remove the barriers. I got 6 EEs along w/ my multiple breed hens and found out they're all at the bottom of pecking order, so having a single newbie EE could be a challenge.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

I actually introduced her after dark last night into a dark coop -- this morning she was in the nesting box (she's not laying yet) but wasn't being tormented. I guess I wait and see. Tomorrow I'm taking her out into the yard by herself for awhile. Unfortunately my permit (city backyard chickens) won't allow more than 8. A few months ago I introduced one chicken, and after a week or so they integrated - but she was the same age. They didn't torment her as badly.

Oh, hopefully your others will accept her! Sounds like you have had good luck before adding newbies...you must have some nice girls it is true, the age difference is most likely causing more trouble than an older hen would.

Only 8! I thought my limit of 15 was bad. I really dislike the laws that limit my chickens. Especially since I have 2 acres plenty of room to expand, but the laws don't allow it. Very annoying. At least I can have chickens in the city though. I know some can't have any at all.

 

[hebegray]

City ordinance allows up to 10 max, but how many an individual permit allows is dependent on coop and run square footage. 3 sf per chicken in the coop and 10 sf per in the run, minimum. I have a 25 sf coop and 150 sf run, so I'm limited to 8. That's enough-I also have 4 dogs.....

 

[Mrs. K]

Try this: Let them watch her a couple of days, then section off a corner, and place a medium bird, not the top and not the bottom bird of the original flock, or turn the others out to free range, and let her and one bird hang out in the coop. Have multiple feeder and waters, and some hide outs. This is one on one, way better than one to 8. Leave them together in the pen until they are getting along. If the first one does not work, try a different one, but only give up is she is drawing blood. Then late add the pair to the flock.

Try and set up the corner pen so that the others can still see both of them.

It can be a lot, for a chicken, new coop, new run, new food, new waters, and no one like me.

 

[aart]

Part of the problem is your coop space is tight......
....run space is good, but won't make up for the tight coop.
I hope that 25sqft coop doesn't include the nests.
She's in the nest to hide from the abuse.

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/



It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.