Three days ago, I introduced my three 5-month old buff orpington girls into one of my groups, which counts 12 young hens and 1 roo, Jericho.
This group has been together for a while, and I've introduced other hens in there without a problem before.
Well Jericho has been attacking the BO's every chance he gets and it's not getting any better. The new girls have to perch high up in the pen all day long not to get attacked, they have no access to food or water until the group has perched on their pallet for the night, only then do they venture down to eat and drink. They are miserable and try to fly on my shoulders every time I go in there to visit. They're hungry and don't understand what is happening.
They are at point of lay, but are not laying yet.
They were housed in the pen next door (I have converted horse stalls in my barn) so have had vocal contact before, but not visual. I am not set up to separate the new girls from the group via chicken wire or anything, so I have to find a solution ASAP.
The group girls do chase the new girls around, but nothing serious.
It's Jericho that screams and attacks the BO girls.
I've taken him out of the pen since this afternoon, to try and see if that will give the girls a break and help them settle into the group.
I hope I'm not making it worse...
(Jericho will be 1 year old in Feb 2011, I hatched him myself and he is SUCH a sweet, gentle roo both with humans and his hens... EXCEPT for the new hens. He has zero tolerance
)
I feel so bad - anyone else experience this and how as it resolved?
This group has been together for a while, and I've introduced other hens in there without a problem before.
Well Jericho has been attacking the BO's every chance he gets and it's not getting any better. The new girls have to perch high up in the pen all day long not to get attacked, they have no access to food or water until the group has perched on their pallet for the night, only then do they venture down to eat and drink. They are miserable and try to fly on my shoulders every time I go in there to visit. They're hungry and don't understand what is happening.
They are at point of lay, but are not laying yet.
They were housed in the pen next door (I have converted horse stalls in my barn) so have had vocal contact before, but not visual. I am not set up to separate the new girls from the group via chicken wire or anything, so I have to find a solution ASAP.
The group girls do chase the new girls around, but nothing serious.
It's Jericho that screams and attacks the BO girls.
I've taken him out of the pen since this afternoon, to try and see if that will give the girls a break and help them settle into the group.
I hope I'm not making it worse...
(Jericho will be 1 year old in Feb 2011, I hatched him myself and he is SUCH a sweet, gentle roo both with humans and his hens... EXCEPT for the new hens. He has zero tolerance

I feel so bad - anyone else experience this and how as it resolved?

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