Question about integrating new girls

[tlcmama]

Here's some background:

We got 3 bantums last year and are having so much fun that two months ago we got 6 more chickens!
3 one month-old pullets: 2 orps and a wellsummer, 3 one week-old chicks: 2 turkens and a wyandotte.

We put the pullets in a large dog crate and the chicks in a brooder on our porch.
This was the setup until about two weeks ago when we put the pullets in the large run with the bantums in a metal dog crate so they could see each other but not get to each other. I should add here that about a month ago I put the pullets and the batums
together in the run and one of the orps got pecked pretty bad. She got rehabilitated in the bathroom and put back with the other pullets without incident. After that I read about how to integrate the flocks and thought I was doing well until...

The other day I went out to the run and found one of the orps (same on as before?) trapped between their water bucket and the side of the crate. She had gotten pecked again

as she was not able to get away. Back in the house she goes.

I had some idea who the offender was but I wanted to make sure, so under close supervision I let everyone free range together. I saw one of the bantums acting very aggressive so I isolated her in the crate and let the others continue to range. Then I saw one of the other bantums getting aggressive too so I put her in the crate too (they seemed to be the ringleaders as the last bantum did fine with the pullets the rest of the day).

So heres my big question. Since the orp and wellsummer are getting to big for the crate I left the two bantums in the crate and let the 2 healthy pullets and the third docile bantum have the run and coop. There is peace in the coop but I am wondering 1) am I doing serious physiological damage to the two dominant/aggressive bantums now in the crate 2) will this affect the eventual integration of the whole flock once the new coop and run are finished

(hubbies building a chicken condo for all of them).

 

[sumi]

I got a tip here from the other members. If you have a problem chicken that attacks the rest of the flock or another chicken get yourself a water pistol, fill it with water and every time the offender attacks squirt him/her. Aim for the body, not the face. It works!
Good luck!

 

[tlcmama]

huh - works with my cats and dog but didnt think it would work with the chicken.
wont they just go back at it when im gone?

do you think its okay to have the dominant hen crated up in the run while the newbies have full access to "her" coop and run?

 

[sumi]

You can do that too. Just don't leave her in there too long, just enough to subdue her. Over time they will establish their pecking order, but it wouldn't hurt to intervene, especially if chickens are getting injured.

 

[terryg]

There will be aggression, but it shouldn't lead to blood-letting. You have a variety of ages and breeds which makes it all that much more difficult. Isolating the aggressors in a small cage is not going to ultimately solve the problem. All birds should be fully mature before integrating together. Bantams need to have roosts and safe places that the big birds can't get to. I have a FAQ about integrating two flocks that should help. http://hencam.com/faq/introducing-new-hens/

 

[tlcmama]

There will be aggression, but it shouldn't lead to blood-letting. You have a variety of ages and breeds which makes it all that much more difficult. Isolating the aggressors in a small cage is not going to ultimately solve the problem. All birds should be fully mature before integrating together. Bantams need to have roosts and safe places that the big birds can't get to. I have a FAQ about integrating two flocks that should help. http://hencam.com/faq/introducing-new-hens/

thanks terry - it's actually two of the bantums that are causing the damage

The two month olds are still seperated in their own coop. its the year old bantums and 4month old orps that im trying to integrate
and two of the bantums are aggressive with one of them attacking the smallest orp, even though the orp is already twice the size of the bantums!

we are planning on trying to re-introduce them all when the new coop is done, hoping the new environment will change the dynamic.
I will also do it at night with the most dominant bantum taken totally out of the picture. Im planning on keeping her seperated for a week, then trying to reintroduce her. If that fails we may have to get rid of her. This may sound crazy but do you think getting a rooster would help?

I cant have a dog crate with an injured chicken in it in my bathroom forever!

 

[terryg]

I've always said that it's not size that matters in a flock - it's attitude! You still have a large age difference between the bantams and the orps. You are right to try and take the aggressor out of the picture. 3 days will do. Once she goes back in it will be hard for her to regain her status, and often that change is permanent. I have once had to give up an aggressive hen, and when she went into her new flock she was immediately meek and stayed that way. A rooster would totally change the dynamics, but then you'll have rooster issues. Also, your relationship with your hens will change. I think that all will sort out fine for you with the new coop and when they are all fully mature.

 

[kateseidel]

ticmama - just posted a similar thread. I have one Wyandotte (the lowest on the grown-up pecking order) who I think would actually kill one of the 9 week old chicks if she could get to it unattended!! I had hoped to be able to leave them together by now, but it looks like a few more weeks of separation until the chicks are big enough to fight back and mean it.

 

[tlcmama]

Thanks all - so I let everyone free range together and the most aggressive bantum was still aggressive, but her hench-hen was no longer a problem

(she must have been rehabilitated during her time in jail). The most aggressive girl went back into solitary

(dog crate in the run) since we had to leave town. Injured chicken is out of the bathroom and in a dog crate on the porch.

Chicken sitter is keeping an eagle eye out for trouble.

Once we get home I will reintegrate injured chicken into the rest of the flock and reintroduce the ringleader one more time when the new coop is built.

Cant wait to start all this over when the "littlest" batch gets big enough. Definitely not going to get multiple age groups again next year. One integration session a year is enough.

Wish me luck!

 

[linguafranka]

Question about isolating a "baddie" in a crate. I tried isolating a chicken the other day (I put the one BEING bullied in a crate tho) and she became VERY agitated at being separated. The walls were wire so she could see all her friends around her but couldn't get to them. Is it easier if you use a solid wall? Is it bad to separate the victim? We are having some turmoil as we recently added 2 older hens to the flock of 5-mo olds