Bullying?

[ermintrude]

Hi!
I have had 3 hens for about a year (1 Black Rock, 1 Bluebelle and 1 Light Sussex x) in a large 3m x 8m outdoor run and had no problems. Having well and truely caught the chicken bug I decided to get 2 more young POL hens (Cream Legbar and Buff Sussex x Cream Legbar). They were kept in a sectioned off part of the run so they could get used to each other, and occassionaly all let out together in our large garden to free range for an hour or so. I have done this for 3 weeks now and thought I would try them all in together and all but the LS seem happy enough with the new-comers. There is still some charging but no actual pecking. However the LS is constantly bullying the new ones even though there is plenty of food widely scattered around the run. She pecks and even flies at them claws out like a bird of prey!

At the moment the new girls are in the main run and the LS is on her own in the sectioned off bit. Will she ever get used to them and calm down or is she forever going to be bullying them? Any advice gratefully received!

 

[dinosaw]

Hi Ermintrude

The short answer is that she will calm down given time once she gets used to them. If I was you I would now be leaving all the birds together full time and not intervening unless blood is drawn or your new hens are being attacked so badly that they are unable to feed during the day. I have done two sets of new bird introductions this year and they both followed similar patterns, extreme violence from the existing birds initially, settling down within two weeks to the usual pecking order shenanigans. Interestingly the new birds were not fully accepted until they began to lay and also the most aggresive bird is generally the one at the bottom of the existing pecking order as they feel their place is at threat, is this the case with your light sussex?. As you have plenty of space your new hens should be able to get out of the way if neccesary so don't worry too much.

 

[milbert]

Hello,

I had terrible problems with my light sussex's, am not sure how to post a link to another conversation but if you look under chicken health forum at the top of this page not the general chicken forum you will see my original topic also called bullying, I had quite a few responses that may help you? Mine was a very extreme case but the old LS seem to be rather feisty!

Good luck!

 

[milbert]

It's on first page as only a few days old, you won't need to search for it!

 

[chrismahon]

We take the softly-softly approach. 2 weeks isolation and familiarisation with two lots of wire in-between (so in a run alongside). When they are first introduced it is into the Orchard so they have plenty of room to manouvre and are separated if a fight last more than a few seconds. When all is peaceful (about a week) they are added to the coop at night and lavender spray is put onto all the hens so they all smell the same. Check when they are first let out into the run, which is at first light to avoid fighting in the coop. Few minor skirmishes but so far no problems.

 

[Sue]

I did more or less the same as Chris, but mine were only in a separate run for a week and a half. I put them in the main house after dark and used the lavender also. There was no fighting at all, my existing hens did a bit of chasing of the younger ones occasionally for about 2 weeks, but I put several food and water containers around so they could always get to something away from the others. It is now about 6 weeks since the new ones arrived and they have been completely accepted, even cuddle up to each other in the house at night! The two new ones do stick together during the day and are never far away from each other, but the others don't usually bother them at all now.

 

[foxy]

We take the softly-softly approach. 2 weeks isolation and familiarisation with two lots of wire in-between (so in a run alongside). When they are first introduced it is into the Orchard so they have plenty of room to manouvre and are separated if a fight last more than a few seconds. When all is peaceful (about a week) they are added to the coop at night and lavender spray is put onto all the hens so they all smell the same. Check when they are first let out into the run, which is at first light to avoid fighting in the coop. Few minor skirmishes but so far no problems.

Good advice here, generally the most effective way of introducing new hens 17

 

[chrismahon]

Good point from Sue which I forgot to mention. Extra feed and water units added because they are the potential problem zones where conflict could occur. They can be removed after a few weeks. Also added a long perch in all the runs so the new birds can get out of the way if they feel the need to.

 

[Chuck]

You can never really anticipate how birds will react when new ones are introduced. Sometimes it's easy & sometimes very difficult. All you can do is play it by ear, keep a close eye and be prepared to intervene if the trouble gets out of hand.

 

[ermintrude]

Thanks for all your great advice. I will be brave and put the LS out with the others and keep and eye on them. Dinosaw - yes the LS was at the bottom of the original flock pecking order! My new birds aren't laying yet so it will be interesting to see if things settle down when they do. They are all fine at night in the coop together. I have been leaving the pop hole door open to stop bullying in the mornings, but I find the new birds, being smaller and lighter, have seperated themselves by either flying out of the run (4ft fence!) or flying into the sectioned off bit, even though I have clipped their wings!