Normal behavior?

[navasima]

I brought in a new hen yesterday. A couple of chest bumps were the only interactions with the 4 already there. She slept on the opposite side of the coop last night. Today, they will let her get about a foot from them and then walk (not run) away when she gets closer. Are things progressing as they should? Now, she is pretty funny looking right now (bald back, neck, almost no wing feathers, 1/2 inch of tail feathers), could some of this be her newness and some of it be '..hey - what's that funny looking thing?' There has been no aggression from either side. I saw my Silkie boy give a little peck to check out her bald wing and she just took a step away - he left when she moved

Thanks for any insight-

 

[TigerLilly]

At least you aren't having to deal with aggressive pecking order stuff. Sounds like she's making her way quietly into the mix.
I usually buy a minimum of 2 chicks at a time; I've read on here that it helps the new chicks in that they already have a buddy. Not sure if it does anything as far as integrating, but then again, I havent had any issues there.

 

[navasima]

Ya - no fuss. It's like she is trying to edge her way closer. Hopefully she'll only be outcast for another day or two. Thanks for responding TigerLilly.

 

[citychickx6]

I wish mine had been that nice.
My four newer ones were added to the coop about 5 weeks ago. After 3 weeks of watching my sweet ( ya right ) group of six hens bully the new group of four I gave up.
I now have 2 coops and 2x the cleaning and tending.

 

[navasima]

Drag! My group is so motley - and they just got put together themselves over the last week. I feel badly for her though, she walks over a makes a little cluck and they turn their backs and walk away!

Poor high school kid having to eat lunch alone. Heck - she's been here a whole 24 hours - I'm cautiously optomistic.

 

[NannaD'sCrazyCoop]

My RIR and OE are not mixing well. The RIR do not want the OE anywhere near them, the food or the water. And they are pecking on them when first going to roost at night.

 

[navasima]

From what I've been reading, I think I've been very lucky! Poor little new kid - went in the coop tonight and as soon as she sidled over...the others jumped out! She jumped out too, everyone snacked and drank (like they meant to-Ha!) and when they went back in new kid went to the opposite end and settled down on the floor.
I'll tell you though - she came and ate a couple of noodles from my hand today. For an adult who wasn't really touched much (probably ever), I'm thrilled with her disposition. 3 of the others were pretty wild as well - they turned out to be wonderful! 1 is a spoiled little Silkie brat

. New Kid BTW (shoot! still have to name her!) is an American Game hen. When she feathers out - she will look almost dead on like the hen pic on the breed page.

Nanna - Are the OE pecking back? How long has it been since you put them together? Any injuries?


I think a lot of my luck is that 3 of them are 10 - 12 weeks, the fourth somewhere around 12-16 weeks( I think) - so I'm dealing with a bunch of young 'uns and not an established flock! My LF girls are in their baby coop in the big pen and have had playtime with everyone except the new kid. Gonna wait a while for that!

Need my blood pressure to go down first!!