Why cant they get along?

[FarmersFresh]

Hello forum members, Well I have a couple of older hens that are about six months old and I just added a new member to the family, an easter egger that is about 3-4 months old. It seems that they cannot get along with each other at all. The poor 3-4 month old was a one hatcher and I guess isnt very sociable but does not learn to get along with its own species.

Is there anything I can do to help them get along with each other and live in peace, or should I just giver her away?

In the future how can I bring a newcomer to the flock without any problems?

Thank you for the assistance and suggestions.

 

[Wynette]

Hi there! New chickens should be quarantined for at least 30 days prior to putting them in with an existing flock, but this sounds like you hatched this little one? In this case, it's okay. However, she's too young to be eating layer feed at this time. Layer feed has extra calcium in it, which is detrimental to her internal organs until she's of layer age. Is there any way to keep her separated for a few more weeks, until she's at LEAST 18 weeks?

Some folks say the best way to add a new one is after dark...just slip her in & put her on the roost, and they'll wake up in the a.m. thinking she's a part of the flock. I personally don't think chickens are that dumb, but maybe it's just mine!! It'll take time for them to figure out pecking order.

 

[FarmersFresh]

Well I am not feeding her layer feed. The thing is that I dont know what is wrong, they just seem to not get along great with each other at all. Maybe its because she is smaller compared to them even though she isnt so small either. The thing is that there is one hen I have that goes running after her some times and plucks her feathers if she is too close....is there a solution to this problem? I would like to just put them all together in an isolated place and just let them get along with each other....i guess i should try that dark room thing LOL.

 

[dw_618]

well im new here...but anyways we bought 4 new hens to add to our flock of 7 yesterday. However, all that happened was they took a very large beating. We have them separated for now, but still not sure how to safely add them to the old flock. I have never heard of the dark room but I might try it.

 

[Lunachick]

If your chicken passes the 30 day quarrantine time without any ill effects, like Wynette said, I still would not throw them in together. I would keep them penned up side by side so they can measure each other up. Then slowly let them all out and see how it goes. I would also monitor those situations when they are all out...then you can see if there is anyone being butchered or not. I wouldn't rush it.

 

[FarmersFresh]

Well thank you for the information but I would honestly appreciate anymore suggestions or past tricks some of you have tried in bringing in a new member of the flock with the rest of the chickens, ets.

I want to see if it is possible that I can be able to keep the new chicken I brought in or if I should just go ahead and give her away.

By the way I have noticed that the new member gets scared of the hens even when they do not try to attack, she just moves around and around thinking she is to be attacked...poor thing.

I appreciate any help I can get, thank you.

 

[chookchick]

Like Lunachick said--you need to make an arrangement where she can be separated from the others by wire (1" or smaller) but still visible to them most of the time. This means she will have to have her own sleeping quarters also--this is a lot of work to set up, but it is the only safe way to do it. She should be separate, but visible for at least two weeks and preferably a month. She will start to socialize with them through the wire, without having physical fights. It takes time for ANY chicken to be accepted as part of the flock, it is not that your chicken has social issues. When you finally put them together, put in some new chicken toys, big colorful kids toys, etc.. to confuse them and make them just a bit nervous. Make sure you have enough room in both coop and run for all chickens--if they feel too constricted in space, they will not want to accept a newcomer that is taking their "resources".

 

[silkiechicken]

New birds to an existing flock will always fight. If you make sure there is enough room in the coop and so on, they will figure out their new pecking order in 2-3 weeks or so. You just have to tough it out and watch them figure it out and don't intervene or you'll just drag out the process.

 

[Chicken Ma]

Will this work for roosters too? My older rooster got along fine with the young ones. Then started beating them up. They finally had enough and started going after him. I finally separated them. I have not had luck finding them homes, so am wondering if they will EVER be able to be together or will they wind up killing one another? It's really frustrating. Would it work if I put all the roosters in one side of the run and the hens in the other? Would they still fight?

 

[apukanski]

We recently put 4 gingernut rangers (just of laying age) with 8 white leghorns, all female 1 year old . It took about 3 weeks before the new ones could walk by the others without getting nipped. They were all roughly the same size, it was sink or swim.