Old girls beating up the new girls

[bishopfarmette]

I am having the same issues with 2 pullets being integrated into a 3-hen flock. One of the pullets shoved her head into the lowest corner of the run - against the ground - so they couldn't get to her [already-pecked] head. We have had the pullets for 7 weeks in a side-by-side pen area with a wrought iron fence between the old and new girls. First attempts to integrate did not go well. This was complicated by my 90-lb. dog carrying one of the pullets around the yard after the [big Blue Wyandotte] flew out of the run to get away from the older hens. The pullet was not injured but she isn't exactly trusting now. I put up a baseball backstop net over the entire run to keep them in. So we are putting the pullets into the coop after dark but the hens get pecking early in the morning.

We are going to put the pullets back into their own area and let them stay in their dog-crate coop at night until they can get along.

 

[Peeps61]

My method, which may or may not be helpful for you, is as follows:

I free range my chickens so when I have younger chicks that need integrating, they spend most of their time in my chicken tractor so that the other birds see them, but can't get to them. When the new chicks are fairly big, I'll let them out to free range with the others. They have plenty of room to get away, and there is some pecking and chasing, but they all settle down pretty quickly. If the younger chicks are eating and an older chick or hen approaches, the new chicks usually will give way, but come back if the hen seems accepting of them. If not, they stay away until she leaves.
The whole point is that the smaller chicks need places to hide or enough room to run away while the integration is taking place. I haven't lost one yet, although I know that some have taken a beating until they figured out how to exit the coop or find a place to hide. Anytime you introduce new birds that aren't hatched directly into the flock, you will have to go through the reestablishment of the pecking order.

Hopefully, this is helpful to you! I'm sorry that you're having such difficulty.

 

[Matbirch]

My girls are beating up on a new boy i just got so I've started taking your advice with side by side runs i would let him fight it out but his head was bloody and made me nervous hopefully they accept him or he will be lonely out there free range

 

[Poultrybreeder]

Once he decides, he is the head of the house, (this will happen at about 8-10 months of age) he should make the hens run from him if they try to fight. Hopefully they can be together!

 

[aart]

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

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.