Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[OneMountainAcres]

I let the two younger pullets out of their cage for an hour yesterday. My head hen Blue Bear just drank their water and was ok with them around her. But Dragon the Legbar chased and pecked them several times. I had to stop her. I'm suprised because Dragon is the second lowest on pecking order. What should I do next? Keep them in the cage longer? Or keep trying to merge them under my watch?

I'd let them out with supervision. They've got to blend in to the pecking order one way or another

 

[BullChick]

I had a tiny duckling chase a drake around because he was establishing the pecking order at the water bowl.

 

[LoribelleF]

My neighbor and I got 8wk oldpullets and then added 4 week old chicks. We have them together in the same area and supervised the first day or two in the yard. After that they were ok togther. Older ones seem to mother the babies and keep them warm at night. They are all members of the same flock now.

 

[fisherlady]

I let the two younger pullets out of their cage for an hour yesterday. My head hen Blue Bear just drank their water and was ok with them around her. But Dragon the Legbar chased and pecked them several times. I had to stop her. I'm suprised because Dragon is the second lowest on pecking order. What should I do next? Keep them in the cage longer? Or keep trying to merge them under my watch?

I agree with @OneMountainAcres
Let them work it out with supervision.
Not unusual for a low ranking bird to be the nastiest to newcomers. The low rank hen sees this as her opportunity to get someone beneath her in the pecking order, so she's trying to keep them in line right from the start.

 

[troyer]

I had a tiny duckling chase a drake around because he was establishing the pecking order at the water bowl.

I can imagine it looked cute and funny!

 

[Lelanae]

The lowest in my pecking order always is the meanest to the new kids. If it gets really bad, I just reverse things and put the bully in the cage!

 

[TillyPeeps]

Thanks for the information, everyone. I let them out again today, but the big girls were too busy wondering in the yard while the young girls not leaving coop. No interaction between them today. I’ll keep trying until things are settled.

 

[Michelle Guynn]

Welcome from Centre County

Adams county!

 

[TillyPeeps]

Sun was brave enough to left coop and joined the big girls. She got pecked several times and then they let her being part of the flock. She even went to roost with the flock. But Candy was still too scared to leave coop. She’s lonely now.

 

[QuietClucker]

I

Hello QuietClucker. I live in Westmoreland Co., Ligonier Twp. I dont know if the cost of living is any less than on your side of the state but we are allowed to have chickens as long as they are kept off others property and out of the road. My girls are kept confined as are my neighbors and a friends due to frequent hawk and other attacks. We are located next to a mountain so we get a wide variety. Would love to have a fellow chicken momma in our area. Good luck with your search.

Thank you for the recommendation. Added to the list of areas to check out. Never thought it would be this tricky! And the cost of living is much less where you live, especially property taxes.