Unhappy hen...

[andavis]

A hen and rooster appeared in my yard in early December. After failing to find the owners and because I’ve always wanted chickens, I bought a coop and took them in. All was fine for a couple of months. The rooster began maturing and spring is coming quickly, and he was very rough with my girl. I decided to add 4 pullets to hopefully help the situation. I’m thinking this was my mistake.
After several attempts to integrate the birds, the rooster became more fanatical about the hen and then fixated on one of the pullets. Eventually I had to intervene to keep him from seriously injuring her. I have no desire to breed my bids, I just love to hear the rooster and he is beautiful. I have a friend with a yard full of chickens, so I let the rooster go live there four days ago. He is happy and has a harem in his new home. That leaves my original hen.
She is very lonely and stands at the door of the coop most of the time. She wants to be friendly with the 4 pullets some of he time, but she chases them away from food and they are terrified of her from their previous experiences when the rooster was here. She is behaving, eating and drinking normally and still laying, however now her butt is yucky and I noticed her comb is beginning to pale. They still sleep separately but I’m planning to try to move pullets in with her tonight to see if that will help. They will not stay in an enclosed space with her, so I’m not sure how this will go.
Anything you can suggest would be appreciated.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Give her time. Integration doesn’t happen over night.

 

[aart]

Give her time. Integration doesn’t happen over night.

Ditto Dat!

Anything you can suggest would be appreciated

Show us your coop and run.

Here's some tips about....
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/

 

[andavis]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I’d done everything you suggested, I think patience is the answer. Right after posting the question, things started to settle. They are not an integrated flock, but they aren’t bickering, there is no more chasing and they seem to be coexisting peacefully. Hopefully integration will come.
Thanks again!