Whole flock targeting 2 hens.

[Daltonl3355]

So i have 6 of 1 year old cinnamon queens and just recently added 4 of 11 month old hyline browns and 2 of the hyline browns are being targeted by all other 8 hens. I dont know what to do and if its even a pecking order issue... 1 of them is very affraid and the other is attached to me and only eats or drinks while i guard her.
I have multiple wateres and feeders around and my run is 15x15 with 6ft height and coop is 4x8 so i have plenty of space and food/water
Will they ever quit? They will not let them eat ir drink without my intervention

 

[aart]

How did you introduce the new birds?
How long has this been going on?

4x8 might be a bit tight for 10 birds, especially when integrating.
You might have to get rid of the bullied, try removing them from the flock for a few days and see what happens.
This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

 

[Daltonl3355]

I got the 4 hylines on friday night and put them in the coop/run in the night to help integrate. I dont have any other areas to use at the moment for separation. It seems that one of my hylines has assumed the heiarchy in the coop so why would they attack the birds they came with?

 

[aart]

Adding birds at night is not often successful.
It's all about pecking order and territory.
Not sure what you can do now without any separation areas.


But might want to think about these.....
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/

 

[Daltonl3355]

Is this something that will work itself out after a week or so or will they ultimately kill these 2 birds

 

[Ridgerunner]

The square feet in your run sounds pretty nice and it is for integrated birds. But if a bird is standing in the middle of the run it isn't that far from a bird in the corner. Integration can be require more room than just living once they are integrated. I agree with aart as I often do, that coop might work but is small for 10 total birds. Depending on where you are located that can change this winter.

Chickens are flock animals. Often you can put them together without problems, like you did with two of them. It is a whole lot easier if they have enough room to separate themselves when they wake up. I'm not that surprised that it worked for two of them even in that small coop at least for now but also not surprised that it did not work for two.

It sounds like those two may be in danger. My suggestion would be to enclose a portion of the run to house those four and keep them next to the others for a week or two. The see but no touch method.

why would they attack the birds they came with?

I don't know what flock they came out of but anytime you relocate chickens or change flockmates you disrupt the pecking order. Even if they were best friends before the move they may no longer be.

Is this something that will work itself out after a week or so or will they ultimately kill these 2 birds

A great question. I don't know. There is real danger so I suggest you follow aart's suggestions on integrating as much as you reasonably can. There is a reason we have so many suggestions and hints on integration. Sometimes it is overkill but sometimes it saves chicken lives.

 

[Daltonl3355]

So i live in southern missouri and i dont keep the coop closed idk if that makes a difference they have a door to come and go as they please and a couple long 2x4 in the run for perch space. All that ive read it almost seems like my 1 bird in particular is ill but i cant find any symptoms shes lost most of the feathers on back of neck and wing area... I will rehome her if need be but trying to keep my babies together

 

[Daltonl3355]

And the thing thats kinda crazy to me is that both flocks came from hen houses with hundreds of birds in small space

 

[Ridgerunner]

So i live in southern missouri and i dont keep the coop closed idk if that makes a difference

It does, a lot. That means they have the whole area, not just coop space.

All that ive read it almost seems like my 1 bird in particular is ill but i cant find any symptoms shes lost most of the feathers on back of neck and wing area... I will rehome her if need be but trying to keep my babies together

It is strange that you would get hy-line browns (a commercial egg laying hybrid) at 11 months of age. They are more likely to become available at the end of their laying cycle, maybe around 18 months of age. At the end of their laying cycle they typically molt. Your feather loss description sounds like that could be what is going on. She should stop laying eggs during the molt but once the molt is over she should be laying a lot of nice big eggs.

Any photos showing that feather loss?

Right now I don't see any reason to rehome them, just try to take them through an integration.

And the thing thats kinda crazy to me is that both flocks came from hen houses with hundreds of birds in small space

The big difference is that you are integrating strangers, not chickens that had already been integrated.

 

[PopoMyers]

Being that they were thrown suddenly into your existing flock caused the problem. Integration takes a few weeks of see no touch, followed by pecking order adjustments. If they were all strangers before you got them, it explains the picking on of the two. You should separate them from the original flock if possible, or rehome if you cannot.