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Which is worse being isolated and cold at night or risk of bullying?

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Is there a way to divide part of your coop so she can see them at night, but not touch? Some pecking is normal pecking order sorting when integrating as long as there is are no injuries, blood or feather plucking. If you keep intervening when they are trying to sort out the pecking order then the pecking will continue everytime you separate her at night then put her back with everyone else in the morning. She needs to either be able to see and not touch the others for a while then integrated or allowed to sort out the pecking order given there are no injuries.
 
I think if you look for "integrating a lone hen into a flock" you'll find a few good articles/approaches. I don't claim any success, I haven't tried this, but basically if you can put the lone hen in with one of the new hens. I don't recall if it's the bottom hen or if it matters. Then, integrate an additional new hen in with those two, so in a few weeks you're integrating 2, 3-hen flocks together instead of 6 against 1.
 
Ok, I'll have to work out some
springvalley123 said:
I think if you look for "integrating a lone hen into a flock" you'll find a few good articles/approaches. I don't claim any success, I haven't tried this, but basically if you can put the lone hen in with one of the new hens. I don't recall if it's the bottom hen or if it matters. Then, integrate an additional new hen in with those two, so in a few weeks you're integrating 2, 3-hen flocks together instead of 6 against 1.
Click to expand...
Ok, I was searching some things on combining flocks, but wasn't getting specific enough I guess. This idea you mentioned sounds good, I will just have to sort out the logistics of who goes where. Thanks for the input
 
HollowOfWisps said:
Is there a way to divide part of your coop so she can see them at night, but not touch? Some pecking is normal pecking order sorting when integrating as long as there is are no injuries, blood or feather plucking. If you keep intervening when they are trying to sort out the pecking order then the pecking will continue everytime you separate her at night then put her back with everyone else in the morning. She needs to either be able to see and not touch the others for a while then integrated or allowed to sort out the pecking order given there are no injuries.
Click to expand...
Ok, I see. I definitely don't want to prolong it or make things worse. But I'm starting to think I probably need to let go a little bit and allow the pecking order to work itself out. For tonight I will utilize the cat carrier inside the coop at night so they will all be inside, until I come up with a better see-through barrier. Thanks for your input.
 
I think you ought to integrate them asap, specially now that we're in winter. I always have a hard time when I do my supervised integrations, it's very hard to watch them fight but you have to be tough and watch it not to get out of hand. Sometimes there are feathers plucked but as long as it doesn't get too vicious, you have to let them go thru the process, it is a must for them to integrate and form a "friendly" flock. This works most of the time, the times that it doesn't, then plan B has to be implemented :D
 

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