Newbie needs help

[LaFemmeKatia]

Oops, I posted this before I saw your post about your dog crate.
So, you are doing it properly, and they need time.
Something else that helped for me was I give my chickens snacks toward late afternoon and of course they love that!
I put scratch grains with peas and shredded spinach or collard greens on the ground next to the wall of the run, and in the new birds area next to their wall so they can eat “together”.
I think eating together helps build feelings of community. It works for us humans.

 

[Dgrissy]

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 old hem, 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.

Thank you for the info. I had read something about putting them in the coop when it is dark I just worry it will be like thunderdome when I get them in the morning and only the angry hen will come out
I do plan to let them free range for a couple of hours per day but was worried it was too soon for them and they might get chased off?

 

[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.

attaching photos of the coop, the makeshift coop for newbies and the angry hen. Honey Pepper who is sweet but can be very spicy. this whole area is enclosed with wire fencing.

 

[ladybrasa]

The “pecking order” is real! Unfortunately she’s being normal. It looks awful. As long as there’s no wounds or blood, it just takes awhile.

I have observed that the low chickens seem to be the worst aggressors to new ones. There’s no “oh I’ve been in your place before so I understand”.

As far as eating the feather, it might have just got stuck to her beak so it went down. If she is deliberately eating feathers other times, it might indicate a nutritional deficiency. Are you feeding a complete feed?

 

[SulkyBantam]

Nice setup, and a pretty hen too.

The only thing we have done when bullying of new ones was a problem was put them on the large run in the day so they have space to run away and hide and have them sleep in a separate house/dog crate.

yep i have found bullied hens to be the most ferocious towards new ones. Just curious, how old is she?

 

[Dgrissy]

Nice setup, and a pretty hen too.

The only thing we have done when bullying of new ones was a problem was put them on the large run in the day so they have space to run away and hide and have them sleep in a separate house/dog crate.

yep i have found bullied hens to be the most ferocious towards new ones. Just curious, how old is she?

thank you, she is about 1 year 7 months

 

[Dgrissy]

The “pecking order” is real! Unfortunately she’s being normal. It looks awful. As long as there’s no wounds or blood, it just takes awhile.

I have observed that the low chickens seem to be the worst aggressors to new ones. There’s no “oh I’ve been in your place before so I understand”.

As far as eating the feather, it might have just got stuck to her beak so it went down. If she is deliberately eating feathers other times, it might indicate a nutritional deficiency. Are you feeding a complete feed?

We are feeding a laying feed and leave out oyster shells for calcium as needed

 

[aart]

photos of the coop,

Tight space for integration.

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

As might these tips about.....
Integration Basics:
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[SulkyBantam]

I have found layers more vicious than pullets. Has she just eaten the one feather (I would hate cannibalism to be a problem)?

 

[Dgrissy]

I have found layers more vicious than pullets. Has she just eaten the one feather (I would hate cannibalism to be a problem)?

yes just one feather, she never acted like that with the previous chicken they pecked a little but nothing cannibalistic in nature.