So I got three new chickens and tried introducing them to our coop about 2 months ago. Two Bantam Frizzles and one silkie/cochin mix. I put the three in at night and was watching them all like a hawk for several days after that. I let the girls out to free range, made sure their was plenty of extra food to keep them all happy, and rehomed the rooster who was having a hard time being nice. There were skirmishes mostly between the bantams and the bigger girls, which I thought was normal and they are now doing just fine with everyone. My Silkie/cochin mix (Big mama) never seemed to come down from the roosts though. She lost weight and I started feeding her by hand and making sure she got water several times a day hoping things would improve. I went in one day and found her scalped. Her whole head, raw, featherless and bleeding. So I rushed her inside, looked on BYC to find out how to clean/dress the wound and did it. I seperated her into her very own coop and she made a full recovery. For several weeks she seemed perfectly happy, free ranging everyday on her own part of the property (very isolated from the rest of the chickens) and layed an egg every day for us. Her coop is right next to our ducks area and I noticed her hanging around them most of the day so I was worried about her being lonely. I know chickens are social animals so I went and bought a 2 month old pullet (Rosa-lilly) to put in with her. She is very sweet and gentle so I wasn't worried about her hurting the newbie, but she seems so distraught over the addition! I let her out to free range and kept Rosa-lilly in the coop so she wouldn't run off and big mama just paced in front of the coop all day. I let her in at night and for four full days now she hasn't left her nesting box and hasn't laid an egg. The Rosa-Lilly sleeps in the nesting box at night with her and stays in there with her all day except to go eat and drink. I have moved big mama several times out of the nesting box and coop to get her to eat and drink but two minutes later she is back in her nesting box with rosa-lilly cuddled right up next to her. What gives, is she that traumatized or is she all of a sudden going broody with no eggs under her? Rosa-lilly is just as docile as big mama and big mama doesn't run from her but won't lay anymore eggs or free range, all she does is sit in her nesting box all day and all night, is this normal? Should I move Rosa-lilly into the other coop? I am worried they will peck her to death since she is much smaller and all alone. Any advice/insight would be much appreciated! Thanks everyone
