Newly added chicken & behavior changes

[MamaJamba]

I had an established flock of ten hens (5 buff orp and 5 black australorps). They are approximately 20 weeks old and have not started laying yet though I expect them to any day (they all appear healthy with bright growing combs except for one buff). They are extremely docile and quiet with minimal dominance issues and one clear leader. One month ago, I added 3 day old olive egger chicks to the flock and they have merged seamlessly with normal amounts of “bullying” on the older hens part. No issues requiring intervention.

Last week, I purchased a one year old buff Cochin hen & rooster. The hen has not yet laid any eggs since being with us (tomorrow marks one week of having her) though they have adjusted smoothly and hers and the roosters behavior is unremarkable. I am anxious to see her lay and hope the stress of a move wears off soon.

Over the last three days, My entire flock dynamic has changed. They are ALL aggressive towards each other particularly while eating. This is an extreme 180 from their usual behavior especially the australorps.

1. Is this typical for a flock that’s adjusting to new members particularly a rooster?
2. Should I be more concerned the Cochin hen has not layed eggs since we brought her home?
3. Is there anything I should do to intervene in their “spats”? I am a very hands off approach to raising livestock and want things to work themselves out as nature intends. But I don’t want to encourage this behavior in the long run or allow any of the chickens to hurt themselves. We have a livestock dog and the new behavior has put him a bit on edge with their fighting and being so noisy as the last four months have been extremely quiet and peaceful for the animals.

 

[phoebusartemis]

1. There is often a top hen, and "rankings" in the hens. Bringing a rooster in could affect their attitude because they now care more about who the top hen is. This is because they have a rooster to impress.
2. It is normal for chickens to not lay when under stress, but also do check to make sure there isn't an egg stuck in her vent. Just make sure she's eating and drinking water. Wait a few more days, but if she still isn't laying, then there could be an issue.
3. I would let them sort it out themselves. They're just trying to figure out the ranks between them. Once they establish ranks then they should settle down.

 

[aart]

Could be the male.
Could be the 20week olds are getting ready to lay and that can cause some upset.
How many OE chicks did you add, three 1 day olds...they moved right in to mingle with the flock??
Did you add the cochin hen and roo right in with the flock or do some 'see not touch' time?

What is your housing like, size of coop and run in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics might help here.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You do not have a flock of 20 week old hens, you have ten immature pullets right at the age they start laying. They had set up a pecking order but when they start laying they reach a different stage of maturity. Some mature faster than others. You can see a shift in the pecking order during this stage. Sometimes it is so peaceful you don't even notice, sometimes they act like unsupervised adolescents. Some disruption from this isn't unusual.

1. Is this typical for a flock that’s adjusting to new members particularly a rooster?

Any time you add or subtract a flock member, especially a highly ranked flock member, you can see disruptions to the flock dynamics. That 1 year old rooster is going to outrank any 20 week old pullet. So will a 1 year old hen if that pullet is not laying. Once they start laying pullets are more likely to stand up to mature hens. Start of laying seems to be a transformation in them acting like pullets to them acting like mature hens. Technically they are still pullets until they are 1 year old but that is just a technicality, has nothing to do with behaviors.

I don't know what kind of interaction there is between the 10 pullets and the rooster. Is he mating any of them? If they are that red in the comb and wattles and that close to laying he probably should be. It sounds like there is no fighting between that hen and the 10 pullets.

I suspect most of the behavior change is from adding the two mature chickens, that's probably the trigger. Them transitioning from not laying to laying can add a bit of unsettling influence too.

2. Should I be more concerned the Cochin hen has not layed eggs since we brought her home?

I don't know her recent history. Was she laying when you brought her home? Was she recently broody and has not recovered from that enough to resume laying, with the move on top of that? Are you sure she is one year old and not a lot older? Where she came from were they manipulating lights or is there a change in length of daylight hours. If you are north of the equator probably not but if you are south of the equator it is a little more likely. It could be a street light or security light, something like that. As long as she is acting normally I would not be concerned. By the way, what color is her comb and wattles? Bright red?

3. Is there anything I should do to intervene in their “spats”? I am a very hands off approach to raising livestock and want things to work themselves out as nature intends.

My approach to this is that as long as no one is getting hurt I let them work it out. It can get violent so one can get hurt so pay attention. Have a place where you can isolate one or some if you need to. But overall as long as no one is getting hurt I leave them alone.

have not started laying yet though I expect them to any day (they all appear healthy with bright growing combs except for one buff).

The most common reason they are not laying when you think they should be is the molt. This is more for your one hen but are you seeing and feathers her color flying around?

The next most common is that they are hiding a nest. They can be expert at that, they are trying to make sure that predators don't find the nest. This could be your pullets but also the hen.

Less common but possible is that something is getting the eggs. I don't know where you are so no idea what predators you have but most critters leave signs behind, either egg shells or wet spots. The typical ones that don't in North America are snakes, canines, and humans. If it is consistent it is not a snake. A snake eats some eggs and disappears a few days while it digests them. So not a snake. Most canines would be more interested in your chickens than the eggs but a dog might eat eggs and leave the chickens alone. Does a dog have access? A human does not always mean a thief, some family members have been known to consider something like this to be a practical joke.

Overall I don't see any huge red flags in how they are behaving. I'd expect it to sort itself out as those pullets start to lay. But it is worth keeping an eye on. If they are fighting someone could get hurt.

Good luck!

 

[MamaJamba]

1. There is often a top hen, and "rankings" in the hens. Bringing a rooster in could affect their attitude because they now care more about who the top hen is. This is because they have a rooster to impress.
2. It is normal for chickens to not lay when under stress, but also do check to make sure there isn't an egg stuck in her vent. Just make sure she's eating and drinking water. Wait a few more days, but if she still isn't laying, then there could be an issue.
3. I would let them sort it out themselves. They're just trying to figure out the ranks between them. Once they establish ranks then they should settle down.

I have assumed a lot of this is because of the rooster and the coincidental age of the hens being near to laying themselves. I truly hope the new Cochin is not egg bound and am praying she lays on her own soon otherwise I will contact our vet. Any tips on how I can check for a stuck egg?

 

[MamaJamba]

Could be the male.
Could be the 20week olds are getting ready to lay and that can cause some upset.
How many OE chicks did you add, three 1 day olds...they moved right in to mingle with the flock??
Did you add the cochin hen and roo right in with the flock or do some 'see not touch' time?

What is your housing like, size of coop and run in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics might help here.

I added 3 (three) day-old chicks (just born). I brought them home and kept them in our secluded brooder for two weeks and then moved them to a secluded fenced area near the coop to allow them and the flock (and dog) to become acquainted and introduce the chicks to our environment and begin to scratch for one week. Last week I moved them to the coop (at 4 weeks/they are now 5 weeks old) and they scratch and forage and follow the flock around and are assimilating much better than I anticipated. They have learned the daily schedule of leaving coop in morning and returning at sunset, where our waterers are (we have three) etc etc.

The rooster and Cochin were in the secluded area near the coop for the first two days to allow all animals to get acquainted. In their old home, they were used to being in a coop/run combo with several other chickens. While our chicken area is fenced, it is large (10,000sqft) and is along our wood line and includes foliage, hardwoods, and fruit trees for perching, scratching around and resting in. They are now free in the flock with the others and living in the coop at night. Our coop is 8x8x8 but they are only in it at night. However the original owner of the Cochin says she loves to nest and I have noticed the hen in the coop during the day checking out the nesting boxes and roosting by herself. Our baby olive eggers do go into the coop during the day still as well from time to time, but the original flock only goes up in the evenings when they’re ready for bed (here that is currently about 8pm).

 

[MamaJamba]

You do not have a flock of 20 week old hens, you have ten immature pullets right at the age they start laying. They had set up a pecking order but when they start laying they reach a different stage of maturity. Some mature faster than others. You can see a shift in the pecking order during this stage. Sometimes it is so peaceful you don't even notice, sometimes they act like unsupervised adolescents. Some disruption from this isn't unusual.


Any time you add or subtract a flock member, especially a highly ranked flock member, you can see disruptions to the flock dynamics. That 1 year old rooster is going to outrank any 20 week old pullet. So will a 1 year old hen if that pullet is not laying. Once they start laying pullets are more likely to stand up to mature hens. Start of laying seems to be a transformation in them acting like pullets to them acting like mature hens. Technically they are still pullets until they are 1 year old but that is just a technicality, has nothing to do with behaviors.

I don't know what kind of interaction there is between the 10 pullets and the rooster. Is he mating any of them? If they are that red in the comb and wattles and that close to laying he probably should be. It sounds like there is no fighting between that hen and the 10 pullets.

I suspect most of the behavior change is from adding the two mature chickens, that's probably the trigger. Them transitioning from not laying to laying can add a bit of unsettling influence too.


I don't know her recent history. Was she laying when you brought her home? Was she recently broody and has not recovered from that enough to resume laying, with the move on top of that? Are you sure she is one year old and not a lot older? Where she came from were they manipulating lights or is there a change in length of daylight hours. If you are north of the equator probably not but if you are south of the equator it is a little more likely. It could be a street light or security light, something like that. As long as she is acting normally I would not be concerned. By the way, what color is her comb and wattles? Bright red?


My approach to this is that as long as no one is getting hurt I let them work it out. It can get violent so one can get hurt so pay attention. Have a place where you can isolate one or some if you need to. But overall as long as no one is getting hurt I leave them alone.


The most common reason they are not laying when you think they should be is the molt. This is more for your one hen but are you seeing and feathers her color flying around?

The next most common is that they are hiding a nest. They can be expert at that, they are trying to make sure that predators don't find the nest. This could be your pullets but also the hen.

Less common but possible is that something is getting the eggs. I don't know where you are so no idea what predators you have but most critters leave signs behind, either egg shells or wet spots. The typical ones that don't in North America are snakes, canines, and humans. If it is consistent it is not a snake. A snake eats some eggs and disappears a few days while it digests them. So not a snake. Most canines would be more interested in your chickens than the eggs but a dog might eat eggs and leave the chickens alone. Does a dog have access? A human does not always mean a thief, some family members have been known to consider something like this to be a practical joke.

Overall I don't see any huge red flags in how they are behaving. I'd expect it to sort itself out as those pullets start to lay. But it is worth keeping an eye on. If they are fighting someone could get hurt.

Good luck!

I’m going to copy/paste my above reply here too for you.

I added 3 (three) day-old chicks (just born). I brought them home and kept them in our secluded brooder for two weeks and then moved them to a secluded fenced area near the coop to allow them and the flock (and dog) to become acquainted and introduce the chicks to our environment and begin to scratch for one week. Last week I moved them to the coop (at 4 weeks/they are now 5 weeks old) and they scratch and forage and follow the flock around and are assimilating much better than I anticipated. They have learned the daily schedule of leaving coop in morning and returning at sunset, where our waterers are (we have three) etc etc.

The rooster and Cochin were in the secluded area near the coop for the first two days to allow all animals to get acquainted. In their old home, they were used to being in a coop/run combo with several other chickens. While our chicken area is fenced, it is large (10,000sqft) and is along our wood line and includes foliage, hardwoods, and fruit trees for perching, scratching around and resting in. They are now free in the flock with the others and living in the coop at night. Our coop is 8x8x8 but they are only in it at night. However the original owner of the Cochin says she loves to nest and I have noticed the hen in the coop during the day checking out the nesting boxes and roosting by herself. Our baby olive eggers do go into the coop during the day still as well from time to time, but the original flock only goes up in the evenings when they’re ready for bed (here that is currently about 8pm).

I do see feathers of the buffs and austras and have for about two weeks. The Cochin was currently broody sitting on eggs in her box when I purchased her and we had a time getting her away from the nest. If I put wooden eggs in the coop do you think it would help or hinder? Thank you for the clarification on the identification of hen vs pullet. We have a guardian Great Pyrenees (he is who’s been with the flock since we brought them home in February. They have a great dynamic and we haven’t had any issues with them so far and he’s been great with the baby olive eggers and the Cochins.
The original owner stated the Cochin layes approx 3 times a week. We have looked everywhere possible for hidden eggs (under dog house, inside dog house, under coop, in brushes) but that doesn’t guarantee we aren’t missing them somehow. We have not had any major predator issues this far (hawks but they quickly learned the dog was not going to let them near the chickens) and the chickens have plenty of cover to hide in when hawks are around. No one else comes on our property and we don’t live near family and again, our dog is very very aggressive/protective against anyone or other animals in the yard. We had an armadillo trying to nest under our porch that our dog alerted us to at about 3am one night. We also have security cameras (I’ve thought about trying to rig one up for the chicken area). Also we are in Alabama.

 

[MamaJamba]

Here are a few photos of the austas and buffs (these are a week old so they have grown a bit and their combs are slightly more mature), the chicks, and the rooster and cochin hen.

 

[MamaJamba]

Additional pics

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where are my manners!!! I didn't notice. Welcome to the forum from Louisiana, glad you joined.

I’m going to copy/paste my above reply here too for you.

You don't need to do that kind of stuff. I can read what you write to Aart.

The Cochin was currently broody sitting on eggs in her box when I purchased her and we had a time getting her away from the nest.

To me that explains why she is not laying. Before a hen starts laying she stores up some excess fat. That fat is what she mostly lives off of while broody so she can take care of her eggs instead of having to be out looking for food and water. When she rebuilds that fat reserve she will start laying again.

If I put wooden eggs in the coop do you think it would help or hinder?

I keep a fake egg (golf ball) in the nests all the time. You don't get guarantees but it can help show them where to lay. So it might help and should not hinder.