There is NO HARMONY in my FLOCK

[math ace]

I had 15 pullets that were raised together and lived in HARMONY.

Three weeks ago, I introduced 2 pullets that were a little bigger than the previous 15. I introduced them one DAY at a time. The more submissive one went first. She crawled the whole cage and the others pecked her a couple of time but nothing big. She spent the next day sitting on a perch all day and not joining the group.

I felt sorry for her and let her buddy come in. Her buddy went PSYCHO and took down anything that came near her. At the same time, PSYCHO PULLET protected the pullet that I had introduced the day before. PSYCHO PULLET took on my younger roo and won. Clearly PSYCHO PULLET became ALpha hen.

OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, the pecking continued and the ORIGINAL 15 pullets started turning on each other. I had to remove one of the most submissive pullets because one of her buddies picked a bald spot on her.

The TENSION is still in the Air. Today, THREE WEEKS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS NIGHTMARE, I removed 5 pullets to give away to somebody else. I moved the pullet that had feathers picked out ( they were growing back in) back into the now SMALLER flock. So, smaller flock means MORE INDIVIDUAL ROOM. NOW THEY ARE PICKING on her again AND Challenging each other. There are 12 chickens in a 8 x 28 area. Plus there is an attached chicken coop. There are two feeders and three water stations. There are different size perches all over the place.

WHEN ARE THEY JUST GONNA GET ALONG ? ? ?

Are they going to walk up to each other and pick each others feathers out forever?

THE STRESS is getting to me.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Try diverting their attention to something else for a while.. Do you have suet cake cages? --If so, stuff them w/ veggies/greens/tomatoes/ berries or just grass clumps dirt and all. Someone here suggests feeding chopped up raw liver to them.... If you don't have them, hang a cabbage or apple from a cord in several places thru out the run..

do you have leaves that are laying around? rake them up and pile them into the run in several places..

Remove any hen who is doing the excessive picking/pecking, for a week or two.. remove any hen who is being picked on that has bloody or bald spots, UNTIL they are completely healed..

Start feeding them higher protein feed and adding vitamins and electrolytes to their water for a few weeks---they are all being stressed..and this will help them.

 

[InsaneBreeder]

Did you get rid of the two that started the whole thing? That might help.

 

[math ace]

Still have the two that started it all

They are WYANDOTTES

They are leaving a BAD BAD BAD taste in my mouth for the Breed.
I got them orignally for the prettiness and broodiness.

I will do the treat thing - apples on cord, vitamins in the water, and extra protien thing tomorrow.
I will stop at the store tomorrow and pick up a head of cabbage.

The dominant Wyandotte seems to settled down, everybody goes AROUND - - - Way Way Around Her.
The submissive Wyandote ( THAT IS A BIG BULLY when her dominant Wyandotte is around) is still doing some picking - - -
but not on anybody in particular - - just everybody in general.

It is like the original ones have learned to be HATEFUL since the two Wyandottes entered the picture. I want to scream ! !

I will get rid of the two Wyandottes if that is the only solution. I am not sure if Harmony would return now that the others have learned to be mean to each other.

 

[Beekissed]

By introducing a dominant hen, you changed the established pecking order and it all has to be sorted out again. I would leave them be and let them do what they do~they are not being mean, merely running on instinct. It would be easier on your nerves to stay out of the coop for awhile and let the chickens do the hard stuff!

 

[PoultryPedia]

That has to be so hair-raising to see!!! Good for you on trying to come up with solutions!
Putting obstacles (like sacks of feed, trash cans, etc) in the coop can give chickens objects to run around & hop onto for escaping, as well as create shady areas for a chicken to hang out low-profile when feeling unwelcome.
**MAKE SURE, however, that no spots are created where a chicken could get cornered.
Best wishes!

 

[ve]

I think it is posible they are having vitamine deficiancy(sp)-feather picking.Give them more sunflower seeds and ask on forum what else you can do.Your situation dos not look normal pecking order

 

[firedove]

It's not the new breed that is the problem. You didn't mention what breed(s) your main flock is.

As Beekissed said, the pecking order has been disturbed and everyone has to find their place again. Usually it is recommended to put new chickens into a sectioned area of the coop so they can see the rest of the flock but are seperate. This gives them and the established flock time to adjust to each other before you force a meeting. I don't have that kind of room in my coop and my flock is free range during the day so I usually introduce the new birds into the yard for a few days but keep them in their own places at night so that the new chickens aren't invading the coop right away and are given time to slowly integrate into the flock.

Removing chickens for a few days/weeks and then putting them back increases the time it will take to restore order. If you can section off part of your coop for birds that are injured it will be better in the end. That way they never really leave the flock but they are protected from antagonists. Then when things calm down you can remove the divider and they can quietly rejoin the main flock.

If you continue having picking problems you should look into pinless peepers. It's a small device that attaches to the beak and prevents them from seeing directly in front of them.

 

[math ace]

I will add some vitamins to their water, but I don't think this is the problem.
I already feed laying crumbles and supplement with Daily extra protein from a high protein shellless bird seed ( about 19 % protein).

I will add a place for her to hide that is open on both sides so she won't get cornered. She was in the flock since we got her at two weeks of age. We had to take her out of the flock almost two weeks ago due to one pullets feather picking on her.

The two bullies are Wyandottes, the others are Leghorns, EE's, and Marans.

It is day light - - - so I heading out to hang some apples - - - wish me luck.

These girls were so content and peaceful before I introduced the Wyandottes. I feel so bad.
I wish I had never introduced these two new girls.

The girls were in a cage just outside of the main run area for two months.
They have been watching each other for two months.
Being around each other on the "look but don't touch" policy has not helped with this transition.

So help me, I don't want to do this again - - It is awful.

 

[math ace]

I hung the apples and put up some hiding spots.

Those

chickens showed NO INTEREST in the Apples. I leaned some 4 x 4 pieces of wood against the run walls so that the chicken could HIDE. All the other chickens went over and started picking it - - they picked pieces of wood off the hiding spot. The chicken that was being picked on - - stood on a perch watching these CRAZY chickens attack her future hiding spot

There is a doorway separating the run into two parts. I blocked the doorway and put a few chickens in with the one being picked on. At least she won't get picked on my so many at one time. I picked the ones that are lower on the pecking order to put in with her. Maybe a day spent with 3 bullies will be less stressfull than a day spent with 11 bullies. The others can see each other through the fence.

Amusingly enough, the three I put in with her went beserk at the thought of being separated from the rest of the pack.
They were so upset over that - - that they weren't picking on her and she got to eat without dodging anybody.

WISH ME LUCK - - I am trying anything at this point - - -