Why hen won’t except new pullets

[The chicken whisperer 5]

Hi, so I have four chickens a hen two pullets and a roo and I want them all to be a flock. The rooster is fine with all of the girls but my hen isn’t doing ok with the pullets. Is there anything that I can do? They are all about the same size well... except for the roo he’s a bantam but the girls are bout the same. If anyone could help that would be GREAT! Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Given time and enough space to avoid one another they will eventually become a flock. The social structure of chickens can be brutal.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi.
Did you introduce new pullets to your hen and rooster or did you get all the birds at the same time from an existing larger flock?
How large is your coop in feet wide x feet long x feet high?
How large is your run or are you free ranging?
Are the pullets laying?
How many feeders/waterers?
How long have they been together?
What exactly is happening?
I know these are a lot of questions but the answers will help understand your situation.
It could just be you are experiencing the normal establishment of the pecking order. But answers to these questions will help.

 

[The chicken whisperer 5]

Hi.
Did you introduce new pullets to your hen and rooster or did you get all the birds at the same time from an existing larger flock?
How large is your coop in feet wide x feet long x feet high?
How large is your run or are you free ranging?
Are the pullets laying?
How many feeders/waterers?
How long have they been together?
What exactly is happening?
I know these are a lot of questions but the answers will help understand your situation.
It could just be you are experiencing the normal establishment of the pecking order. But answers to these questions will help.

Hi, I got all of the chickens from different places except for the two pullets they are from a hatchey the hen is from a free range farm and the rooster is from a friend. I can’t measure the coop right now but it is a pretty small one we’re thinking about getting a new one. It can hold up to five or six chickens at the very most. I would like to free range the chickens but we have a lot of predators they get two hours to run a day and seem pretty happy with that but once the pullets move in they will get four hours a day. The pullets are not laying yet but they should start next month. I have one feeder and waterer in each coop I have three coops one for my therapy chicken one to raise chickens in (the pullets are in there still)and my main coop. They have seen each other sense the pullets were about 6-7 weeks and then I let them all together when the chicks were about 12weeks (the pullets are 18 weeks now) they have been together two hours a day roaming sense. My hen attacks the pullets if they get close to the rooster, eat where she is eating, being in her loft, or being near her. I don’t think that she would kill them but she almost killedmy therapy chicken once. thanks for the help!

 

[The chicken whisperer 5]

Given time and enough space to avoid one another they will eventually become a flock. The social structure of chickens can be brutal.

Ok thanks

 

[Mrs. K]

Mostly what you have to have is space to get away from each other. And patience. Sometimes you get a bird that just will not fit in with the others, sometimes they never do, but that is seldom.

Laying hens tend to stick together, and when the pullets start laying, it may work better

If space is an issue, you just might have one too many birds.

Mrs K

 

[DobieLover]

When you say your coop is small but large enough for 5 or 6 chickens at most, where did that information come from? Is it a pre-fab coop that stated a 5-6 chicken capacity?

What size run is attached to the main coop?

If you plan to combine these 4 chickens into one living arrangement, you will need a coop that is 3x4 but preferably 4x4 feet at a minimum. This size should not include the nest box area. Larger would be much better due to the dominant hen going after the pullets to keep them in their place below her in the pecking order. She will become more tolerant of them when they start laying and they have spend much more time together than 2 hours a day.

They should also have at least a 40 sq foot run attached to the coop (again, preferably much larger) where they can spend their days if they are not allowed to free-range during the day. Getting out of a tiny coop just 2 or 4 hours a day is not enough and could be contributing to the hen's disposition.

Chickens need the company of other chickens but they also need space.

 

[Chickassan]

She isn't going to like them right now they're kids. When they're laying eggs and adding to the flock she'll tolerate them. Right now they're eating her food and taking up space so she's going to just be mean until that changes.

 

[The chicken whisperer 5]

Mostly what you have to have is space to get away from each other. And patience. Sometimes you get a bird that just will not fit in with the others, sometimes they never do, but that is seldom.

Laying hens tend to stick together, and when the pullets start laying, it may work better

If space is an issue, you just might have one too many birds.

Mrs K

Ok thanks

 

[The chicken whisperer 5]

She isn't going to like them right now they're kids. When they're laying eggs and adding to the flock she'll tolerate them. Right now they're eating her food and taking up space so she's going to just be mean until that changes.

Ok, thanks