Problem in Adopted Flock

[MimiChickenFarmer]

I brought home 4 (there were more) chickens from a flock someone wanted rid of. One of the girls I am at my wits end trying to save. One of the 4 is a RIR at attacks her ongoing and rides her like a rooster. I have had her in her own dog kennel for protection since not shortly after bring them home. Last night trying to get peepers on the RIR (not fruitful) to give her some protection and it went South so RIR ended up in dog kennel and I put said chicken in coop. I know about the chain of command...but today when I went to leave the 3 out, my girl has every single feather pulled out of the back of her neck....so it isn't just the RIR. Is this freaking normal??

I want to integrate with my original flock (all 4 of the newbie) but I am afraid she will get killed in the roost. Chickens are MEAN! Should I let them duke it out? My original flock is top of the pecking order when roaming with newbies. I thought about sneaking her in their roost at night and be out at first light to see if they will accept her. She is so docile. She doesn't stick up for herself at all. She squatts immediately or runs away.

After no feather this morning on her neck I am just sick. Someone please, please help. Free roaming she can save herself but in the coop at night it is awful.

 

[NatJ]

Here is one article from someone who had a similar problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

...I am afraid she will get killed in the roost. Chickens are MEAN! Should I let them duke it out?

Like you, I am afraid she might get killed if you "let them duke it out."

She is so docile. She doesn't stick up for herself at all. She squatts immediately or runs away...Free roaming she can save herself but in the coop at night it is awful.

For chickens that are both trying to be dominant, letting them settle it can sometimes work well. But here, they have already established who is dominant; the problem is the dominant ones continuing to pester her.

What she does while roaming is what chickens naturally do: the victim just stays away from the bully, and may join the flock later or may go live in another flock. But inside the coop, they are stuck with each other.

I think you are going to need to separate her for some time, at least long enough for her to regrow some feathers and gain some confidence. I don't know how long that is going to take.

Letting new chickens see each other through a wire fence for a week or so, is often helpful when introducing them. That lets them fluff their feathers and posture and threaten and get used to each other, with no injuries. And they start to get used to the idea that those other chickens are right there, and nothing bad happens, and there is nothing they can do about it.

 

[aart]

Sounds like you have inherited someones 'problem children'.

 

[Acre4Me]

How old are the new chickens? Are they all laying? Is the one being bullied laying?

Yes, some chickens can be bullied continuously. We have tried 3x with Salmon Faverolles, but they are sooooooo…laid back they take any and all bullying, and will even sit down and take it and not run away. They were not a good fit for our mixed flock, and they weren’t getting it as bad as yours is experiencing.

For some situations, it can take longer than a week.

You could try another tactic: add bullied bird into your old flock, or take the nicest/calmest bird from your old flock and let the two (one new/one old) become friends. keep an eye out, of course.

Hopefully things calm down soon.