one new hen

[jeananncord]

Is it possible to add just one hen to a small flock? She is smaller and younger and these past few days I have been with them the whole time. The older pullets are still not accepting her and it seems like everything I have read talks about adding more than one and of the same age. The chickens are free range backyard chickens they have chased her off into the garden a couple times and this morning I put her in the run with a more docile chicken and they did fine but when I added another chicken a few hours later she was being bullied but I didnt let it escalate at all. Any suggestions...its only been two days btw.

 

[jesirose]

Unless they are hurting her, let them work it out. It's only been two days! It takes time.
You can try penning her where they can see her but not get to her, to give them time to adjust.

 

[jeananncord]

How long does it take? I'm new to this chicken thing..this is my first flock. We purchased four hens and we got a rooster and gave him to a farm so the pecking order was out of sorts but is it possible to add just one younger pullet? I keep her in the coop separated at night. But I noticed she wants to hang out with me more than the other birds I wonder if its hindering her.

 

[jesirose]

Yes it's possible. It would be easier with 2 because at least they'd be company for each other.

 

[Den in Penn]

It takes around a week for them to accept that the new chicken has a right to exist and be in the area. It is tough to integrate just one chicken, as she is the focus of all the others attention. But it can be done. Distractions when they are put together and space for running always helps. You have to allow them to be chickens. Establish a pecking order, by well pecking. As long as the new bird is not injured leave it happen. It may take a few days for them to just leave her be. As long as she can eat and drink it will work out. Putting a more docile hen in with her was a good idea, you just didn't give the two of them enough time to bond. A day or two would have been better. In fact that is one way a difficult integration is done with a small flock, by introducing them one at a time, every day or two, till they are all in the same pen. A variation of this is to just add till you reach a number where the newbie has enough allies to make the numbers work better for her. In your case with five two or three would work.

 

[jeananncord]

She is accepted..it did take about a week and in the end I just had to leave her out with them and leave them all alone. She had a separate spot in the run at first, and it took about two weeks before they would let her roost with them. She wasnt pecked or harmed too much but they did keep her at bay for awhile chasing her off. They could catch her to harm her or hurt her so that was good. It helped that they werent enclosed too much. Thanks everyone I wasnt sure she would ever be part of the group!