All hell let loose in the coop

[Fuzzyfelt123]

:shock: I knew there would be trouble BUT there was trouble and a half! Introducing the new girls to the old OMG what a racket; screeching, chasing and pecking 07 I had to find something makeshift to split the coop in half pretty sharpish. I have just gone back to check - and half the girls are sulking and sitting on the coop floor with Jessica up on the roosting perch pecking the partition whilst one of the new girls ( Clara or Lola) peck back!!!
Hens - who'd have them!

 

[Chuck]

I'm afraid owners need to anticipate more that there can be trouble and prepare. Things can calm down surprisingly quickly even after a not very promising start but sometimes they don't. Hope yours do.

 

[Fuzzyfelt123]

It was all relatively quiet this morning - the older girls had an hour in the run with food prior to free-ranging in the garden, now the new girls are in the run in peace and quiet watching them...fingers crossed!

 

[Nick]

Sometimes it can go fine!
My two new hybrids got slightly pecked for about a day, and now the gang is all cuddled up together in the coop riding out the storm...
Evil Welsummer cannot live with other chickens tho...

 

[Fuzzyfelt123]

well there is no blood!!!! the two girls huddle together and it is quieter in the hen house today ...but they are still being rather mean to them!

 

[chickadoodle]

Hopefully, they will sort themselves out! I let mine out into the large garden, so they all have room to get away from each other. I let them go to roost where they are used to for a few days, then I put the youngsters into bed with the big girls. It has worked so far, in fact, when I recently did this, one of the adult group decided to sleep with the youngsters and lays her egg in their house!! If the old girls get fiesty, I sling in a handfull of corn or a treat and they usually stop.