Will they get along?

[AnimalsComeFirst]

We just got a new Buff orpington hen, 1 year old, named Nellie, and at her last home she was bullied.

Now, she is being bullied by my barred rock, Gloria... and Nellie is bullying my other (partially blind) buff orpington, Penny. Gloria is trying to protect penny by chasing Nellie away whenever she comes near to eat or drink.
Nellie is also afraid of me and my dog. (In her last home, a hen got taken by a dog/coyote.)

Is it time she needs? And do some chickens NEVER get along?

 

[HEChicken]

Whenever you add new hens to an established flock, the pecking order needs to be re-established - probably this is what you are seeing. Once they have it worked out, it should settled down.

 

[AnimalsComeFirst]

How long does it usually take to establish the pecking order?

 

[Godiva]

Well, it depends on a lot of things... first, how long have you had the new hen? Did you put her in with the others right away? Have you quarantined her? Usually it takes a lot of the bigger hassles out if they are able to see each other for a couple of weeks before they are actually in the same space. I like to put birds that are going to be joining another group into an enclosure right next to the group they are going to be joining, separated only by wire. It is amazing how much they can get sorted out through the fence and while there is still some pecking that happens that usually takes the extreme part out of it. Unfortunately some hens just will never get on and you will have to watch and see. It is also very helpful to introduce them in a neutral area where there is plenty space for them to get away from each other if things get too heated. If you could free range them for a little while together everyday, while you supervise. Make sure the area they are in is plenty big and also that there are things (like planks leaning against the wall, hay bales etc) for them to hide behind or on top of when they need it. Integration can be a total headache and heartache sometimes. Sometimes you have to make a hard decision as to who you are going to keep or rearrange the living arrangements to accomodate hard headed birds that will not quit beating someone up... Good luck figuring this out!

 

[AnimalsComeFirst]

We just got this new hen last night... we introduced them, but it was getting dark. They seemed okay last nite so we put them in the coop together and they were fine. This morning, Penny is quite scared of the new hen because the new hen pecks her. The hen is getting used to her surroundings. They seem to be getting better.

 

[Godiva]

It really is safest to quarantine a new bird for a couple of weeks before adding them to your existing flock as the new bird can carry diseases that can devastate your present flock! Like I said in the earlier post, you would be better off having them in view of each other but unable to reach each other for a while before having them all together... good luck.