Rescue hens and our old remaing hen

[fishdaughter]

Hi, I got 10 rescue hens and cockerel yesterday as I only had one elderly lady left after her friend died a couple of weeks ago. I thought she'd be happy to have some company. The new hens and cock arrived after dark and she was settled in a nesting box. I've been observing them all this morning and she's pecked at a couple of new hens, then two new hens properly attacked her. So I've separated our old hen off from the others in the rabbit's outdoor pen (it's huge and in the barn over winter. The rabbit is in the house...just for clarification!). The new hens are still trying to get her through the netting. Is this the right way round, or should I have separated the two new hens off, because ultimately it is old Bibi's territory.
And as a separate issue, our old hen that died used to 'lay' weird freaky eggs with no shells and Bibi used the eat them. She never ate her own normal healthy eggs, just her friend's. This morning a new hen had laid an egg and Bibi, prior to separation, tried to push into the box to, I assume, eat the egg? It hadn't occured to me that she would eat the other hens eggs. What is the best way to stop this? She doesn't eat her own eggs. Thanks

 

[chickens really]

Definitely try a look no touch pen for a couple of weeks. As far as egg eating goes it can be a hard habit to break once it starts.

 

[cmom]

Birds are used to routines and when you change things the birds will react and they will establish a new pecking order. Do you free range? You may try it and see how it goes. Sometimes separation for a time will work and sometimes it doesn't. I would consider taking out the 2 new birds that are picking on the old bird. She is way outnumbered and give the other birds a chance of reestablishing a new pecking order with her and after some time put the new troublemaker birds back in. Just a suggestion. Good luck and have fun...

 

[FeatherstoneFrm]

I agree. I would remove the two trouble makers and let the old hen establish her place among the others. As you said, it is her territory and by removing her, you will put her at the bottom of the pecking order when reintroduced.
If you remove the other two, they will be reintroduced at the bottom of the order and may behave better.