Successful integration...funny mafia chickens

[superjules75]

I successfully integrated 2 new pullets to my flock on Saturday. It was a pretty funny scene. My "head hen" couldn't care less about them. She kind of got in both of their faces and that was that. My BO (who has always been at the bottom) is making a run to 2nd in command, so to speak. She is being the security force and every time one of the new ones walks by she pecks at them (not super aggressively) to let them know she is boss. The "head hen" isn't having to do a thing. The first night, the new ones slept in the run but by last night they were all roosting in the house. I was concerned about the whole process but it's gone rather smoothly. Yea!!

 

[Luke0987654321]

that happened with my hens the top hen didnt give a monkeys fart about the new br,
and the bottom hen was making it cleer to the new one that she didnt want to be the bottom hen any more

luke.

 

[88heather]

Did you just get new hens and add them to your flock without separating first?? I'm wondering b/c of the weather and wanting to get more hens myself but just put them in the coop with the others and not have to have a separate area.

Congrats on the successful integration.. the last 2 hens we integrated we had seperated for a week and then put them in with the others.. I too noticed that the 2 bottom hens were the worst with the new girls.. My 2 new ones stayed in the coop almost a month and not part of the pack.. but now they are a big happy group.. but I want more hens now and want to skip the week separating thing if I can?

 

[SheeReno]

Too funny, we're going through that right now. The bottom of our pecking order are the roughest, but the ones they're currently keeping at bay will be be bigger in only a week!!

 

[superjules75]

I started early on Saturday morning. My current chickens had never even seen the new ones. I let them out in the yard to free range and they just kind of stayed away from each other most of the day. On occassion, they would meet up in the yard and the BO (lowest of my original 2) would just kind of peck (barely) on their backs. They are still integrating but there has been no real violence and things have gone really well. One of the new ones is even smaller than the others and they aren't really messing with her anymore than the other one.

 

[88heather]

So you didn't really separate then? How old are the new ones? We have 5 hens and 1 rooster.. and we aren't getting enough eggs per day and I think we have 3 laying and still 2 more to start laying.. I've been whining to my hubby that i wanted more hens

 

[baldie]

So far all my integrations went well. They did basically the same thing.

Congrats on yours going well too!

 

[superjules75]

No, no separation at all. I had read all this stuff on here that kind of freaked me out, but I didn't have any trouble. I had 2 originals and they are about 25 weeks old. Only the EE is laying. ONe of the new ones is 4 months and the other is around 5.
I will say I think it helped we added 2 new ones to a group of 2. Putting 2 into a group of 5 or something might make it a little more difficult.

 

[88heather]

Hmmm.. maybe I'll scour craiglist to see if I can find some hens close to my hens age.. 4 of mine were hatched May 5th and the other 2 I integrated were hatched June 6th.. I'd love to get maybe 2 more hens close to my hens ages..

I keep telling my husband he's going to come home from work one day and there will be new hens in there!

 

[minge]

Can anyone let me know how aggressive is too aggressive? I just introduced a new RR hen to our two long horn hens. The head LH is picking at the new one. At first it was not so bad, I let them free range for a few hours and the head hen just came up a pecked a little. Today I didn't get to see them much, but noticed the head hen is keeping the new one from roosting with her and pecking her out of the hen house. Don't know if I should separate them or not. We have a pretty large coop for all three about 145 sq ft, with a lg dog house inside for nesting. I think there is plenty of room for them to have their space. Any suggestions?