Newbie needs help

[Dgrissy]

Hi everyone, I am new to keeping chickens and this site. I am hoping to get some advise from the experts here. My husband and I started with 2 chickens 8 months ago and just lost 1. 3 days later we picked up 2 same size as our existing chicken. The existing chicken is not happy about these two coming in. It is a good size pen with a coop that is meant for 3. she is chasing them around the pen and they are hiding not fighting back. she pecked and pulled then ate the feather from the one new chicken. (is that normal?) I don't know which chicken to feel bad for. Maybe im not cut out for this too soft. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Hei 20]

Hi everyone, I am new to keeping chickens and this site. I am hoping to get some advise from the experts here. My husband and I started with 2 chickens 8 months ago and just lost 1. 3 days later we picked up 2 same size as our existing chicken. The existing chicken is not happy about these two coming in. It is a good size pen with a coop that is meant for 3. she is chasing them around the pen and they are hiding not fighting back. she pecked and pulled then ate the feather from the one new chicken. (is that normal?) I don't know which chicken to feel bad for. Maybe im not cut out for this too soft. Any advice is appreciated.

I am so sorry for your loss.
You will get the answers you need here.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am sorry you lost one so young.

Integration can be brutal.
It is about resources and space.
Here is a link to a plethora of great information

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=Integration&tab=620

Can you post a few pics of your set up so we can see if there are ways to improve the new girls interactions?

 

[Dgrissy]

I am so sorry for your loss.
You will get the answers you need here.

Thank you, I feel likes it's like motherhood all new at first everyone has the same questions and makes the same mistakes but eventually you become really good at it with the help of those who came before you LOL.

 

[Dgrissy]

I am sorry you lost one so young.

Integration can be brutal.
It is about resources and space.
Here is a link to a plethora of great information

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=Integration&tab=620

Can you post a few pics of your set up so we can see if there are ways to make improve the new girls interactions?

Thank you, I will take some pics today and follow up.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Welcome and sorry about the poor hen.

This happens to every new chicken in my experience.
It can be distressing at first, but they will work it out eventually.
You could try to put her with a view of the others but separate if it is really vicious... I'd love to see pictures.

 

[swampfox440]

If you think integrating chickens is bad, check out integrating people ! Any time something new comes into the picture there is unrest . Animals and people seem to be one and the same . Sorry for your trouble I am sure you can find help here at BYC! A lot of good people here to help . Sorry for your trouble.

 

[Dgrissy]

Welcome and sorry about the poor hen.

This happens to every new chicken in my experience.
It can be distressing at first, but they will work it out eventually.
You could try to put her with a view of the others but separate if it is really vicious... I'd love to see pictures.

Thank you I will definately post pics later today. I had to put up a temporary emergency set up yesterday using a dog pen and crate for the newbies and the original hen is pacing back and forth squawking at them/terrorizing them. a side note is the original chicken was actually bullied by the recently deceased so not sure how that plays into things, maybe she wants to be sure she doesn't end up at the bottom again.

 

[Dgrissy]

If you think integrating chickens is bad, check out integrating people ! Any time something new comes into the picture there is unrest . Animals and people seem to be one and the same . Sorry for your trouble I am sure you can find help here at BYC! A lot of good people here to help . Sorry for your trouble.

Thank you, that is all very true.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Hi everyone, I am new to keeping chickens and this site. I am hoping to get some advise from the experts here. My husband and I started with 2 chickens 8 months ago and just lost 1. 3 days later we picked up 2 same size as our existing chicken. The existing chicken is not happy about these two coming in. It is a good size pen with a coop that is meant for 3. she is chasing them around the pen and they are hiding not fighting back. she pecked and pulled then ate the feather from the one new chicken. (is that normal?) I don't know which chicken to feel bad for. Maybe im not cut out for this too soft. Any advice is appreciated.

Your chickens are behaving normally. Chickens are like cats, they don’t like strangers in their space, and new chickens need to be introduced over time.
If you can, keep the new chickens separated from your older hen in a way where they can see each other but not get at each other. Maybe a large dog crate next to the coop/run. Maybe a week or two.
If you let them out to free range at all, let then out together and watch them.
When you are ready to put them together again, put the new birds in the coop at night when the older bird is already asleep. Do it when it’s dark.