Rhode island reds bullying new pullets!!!

[SocialChicken101]

Hi All,
First time to post so if I do anything wrong sorry

Have my 5 Rhode islands a few months now. Their laying everyday without fail, even over the cold winter. I decided to get 5 more hens 3 weeks ago and went with Blue Bell pullets.

I'm gifted that I have plenty of space to have two separate runs beside each other so I put the new pullets into one pen and left the rir(rhode island reds) in their own run. Left them a week to see each other through the wire fence and then put them together in the coop one night. It's been 2 weeks since I put them together in the coop but the pecking and chasing hasn't stopped. The rir go out of their way to trap the blue bells in a corner and go for them with everything they have. They go into the coop together at night and don't fight. Out in the big run they stay as far away from each other as possible but if they cross paths the rir will go for the pullets. The pullets are terrified of them, they will keep their distance even if I have treats for them like the pic shows.

Have I done something wrong that their not getting along, are my rir just aggressive bullies or is the pecking order just a slow process.

Sorry for the essay but I wanted you all to have the full information.

Cheers Shane

 

[AKLaynaloo]

Those look like sex links, not Rhode Island reds. RIRs are a much darker color. But that’s beside the point. My orangey sex links and my RIRs are big time bullies. But dang it, they are the best layers. In any case, when my baby flock is of age to mix with the big girls, all my bullies are going to be rehomed.

 

[SocialChicken101]

Those look like sex links, not Rhode Island reds. RIRs are a much darker color. But that’s beside the point. My orangey sex links and my RIRs are big time bullies. But dang it, they are the best layers. In any case, when my baby flock is of age to mix with the big girls, all my bullies are going to be rehomed.

Yup their not full rir their a hybrid I was told when getting them sorry

 

[aart]

Left them a week to see each other through the wire fence and then put them together in the coop one night.

A week might not have been long enough.
Even if longer it's not unusual for them existing birds to 'protect their territory'.
It's good, and kinda surprising, they all go to the coop at night.

Might want to clutter up the run area, see link at bottom of this spiel:
Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[cmom]

This is a true Rhode Island Red. She was one of my champions at a show. Hatchery RIR's are usually lighter in color.

 

[cmom]

I agree with @aart. You can do many things as a distraction. One way is to move the birds around and put each in the other's run then in a few days combine them. When I'm integrating birds I do have the luxury of having multiple coops. I have been moving birds from one coop to another. Some coops have more roosting space and nest boxes. As long as the coop is new to all of the birds there is less of a problem but when you put new birds in an existing coop that other birds have been in then they may be bullied somewhat. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

I noticed you are a rather recent new BYC member, You do have Red Sex-Links and Bluebells.