Well, 1 is dead, and I gave 2 Away..

[davecash]

Well I shouldnt have done it.. I shouldnt have mixed them but I did.. After constant picking on my new polish chickens, the baby buff orp, well the 5 month old one, was killed. They litterly pecked her brains out.. So I secluded the others outside and shut the door to the cuoop, and I gave the other living chickens away to my friend, where they will not be bothered by chickens..

I must ask, why did they pick at them until they drew blood and killed her? Will they do this with other chickens I bring in?

I was attached to the baby, she would come sit in my lap and let me rub her.. WE were attached to each other.. And then, my blood thirsty chickens killed her! I have half a mind to make some chicken pot pie out of these chickens and get more gentle, less cannibalistic chickens.


Is it them, or me?

 

[peeps7]

How did you introduce them?

 

[davecash]

I brought them home in a box with chickenwire over the top of it, I laid it on its side and let the Polish hens find their way out.

 

[rooster-red]

The introduction was too quick.

 

[davecash]

Okay how do you introduce them, and how long does it take for my hens to stop pickinjg on them..
ALSO!! Is the eating the flesh normal? Poor little chicks brains were hangin out of her head.

 

[mdbucks]

after isolating new one to ensure no deasease spread put them so they can see each other in adjoining pens or in a partioned off area of the pen so they can get used to each other. They should be close to the same size or the little ones USUALLY will be picked on by all wanting to let the new one knkow where they stand in the pecking order.

As far as picking to death, once the blood starts to flow it attracts the others and they will pick at the BRIGHT spot till death if the bleeding one can not get away

 

[rosyposyosy]

wow! and the buff orp was 5 months old? ok. wow. sorry for your loss. chickens can be mean. i guess i wont put my 6 wk old chick in with our chickens until shes a year....

 

[Southern28Chick]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12751

 

[equine chick]

It really depends on the chickens and how they are presented to each other. I have 38 chickens, 22weeks, 18 weeks and 15 weeks. They have all been living together for about 2 months. You have to really supervise when they are first together, if they seem a lil rough then you take the bad chickens out til the other chickens bond with the younger or new ones with it. This is a lot similar as with horses and other herding animals, i guess why they call it a pecking order. As for the blood, they are animals and it's human nature.

 

[devora]

Quote:
We have six standards and next year we're thinking of getting some banties. Does this mean we can't mix the two??

And I'm sorry for you loss, dc...it sounds like it was horrible.