They'll never get along!!

[rolffamily]

I have had 5 GLW for 13 months(their age) - 4 hens and a rooster. A month ago I got 3 Delawares the same age. The GLW will not accept them. You would think the rooster would appreciate 3 more girls, but no way. The Delawares are smaller in size, which probably has something to do with it, but it is frustrating. They will not lay an egg. One of them did the first day they came, but nothing since. I think they are too stressed and do not feel comfortable in their surroundings.

Everybody gets to free range when I am home - they go their seperate ways. If they do meet, the GLW chase and peck them, so the Delawares run away.

I finally decided to seperate them at night - same coop, just side by side rooms. When they were together the Delawares stayed on the roost all day and then one of them started to pull feathers out of her buddy. Way too much stress for them and me.

I think this is a hopeless case. Just wanted you all to know not all "integrating works out"

 

[RedfogsFlock]

wow so sorry to hear that. I've never encountered problems like that. We've had over 50 birds at a time for a long time. Just recently did we go down to 4 birds (for moving) but we never had problems adding new birds of any age.

Hope it gets better or works itself out in one way or another.

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

The problem is not about breed-type, body size or anything physically about your chickens. The problem is that your chickens (Rooster mostly sounds like) has an over-aggressive attitude. The truth is; this is hard (almost impossible) to correct. It is a personality disorder that is not un-common in some birds. However, Wyandotte chickens are typically very sweet and almost exactly the opposite of what you describe. If the Rooster is beating them up, you need to not put them in with him and not allow him a chance to hurt them. If the other hens are mean but not causing real physical markings, then let them stay together and eventually this will stop.

You are correct about the laying, if a hen is unhappy she will lay no eggs.

 

[7L Farm]

Don't say never. I introduced a single dominique pullet to my flock of 10 RIR pullets & 1 RIR cockerel. Wow!! Was that a nightmare. The cock immediately fell in love with her & helped her. He made sure she came into the coop to roost ever night & tried his hardest to keep the RIR pullets from attacking her. It's along story but she has been with the flock for atleast 3 months now. She still gets chased every now & again but she lays eggs & has a home. They accept her & she does have some friends. One thing she for sure has is Freddy the cockerel on her side so I know she will be fine.

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

Quote:
I really never meant for it too sound as impossible as it sounded, my apologizes. I can happen with a lot of work on your part!

 

[Mrs. K]

You might try breaking up the groups, splitting them apart of their current groups. Also, usually a dominant hen, pull her out for a couple of days, or put her by her self with the new hens. Or put the least aggressive hen with the new hens, and let them become a group. This will break up the current pecking order, confuse all of them.

Then when you get things back together, it may go better. I think that what happened is that you have two distinct groups too close to the same size of groups, so they do not have to get along.

However, i am just going by what I have read here, mine always work it out in a day or so. never had a real problem. Mrsk