[redjane11]

:shock:   2 new chickens are now mixing with my other chicken but one of them is giving real probs. it is the smallest of the new chickens an doesn't seem to have any sense whats so ever, in the evening it doesn't go into the night box, if you pick it up and put it in it goes back down the ladder into the pen and stands in the corner if you left it there it would stay out all night , i have to wait for it to get quite dim before putting it back to bed, the other chicken goes to bed no problem, its also getting picked on quite a bit by the old girl, if it sees her coming it runs off, the other one gets a couple of pecks but nothing like this one, the old girl has her own box at night at the moment but would really like them to be all together have tried it but didn't work.  any help to be offered?  at my wits end

[redjane11]

once again had to put to bed,  going to be fun tomorow as they are going to start combining if it doesn't rain, think i will have to keep them in there coups and not let them out while its nearby or they will go mad and have accident

[richyrich7]

Perhaps the little one is scared of the old one, perhaps thats why she won't go to bed ? I know chicken intro's can be tricky but no experience of it sorry

is the old one drawing blood ?

[redjane11]

Hi,  no not drawing blood, as regards to night and bed the 2 new one's have there own box so don't think its that, just seems to be a stupid chicken, have noticed that  its tail feathers point down and not upwards but apart from that she is eating and drinking and when old chicken isn't about is happy. likes to perch ontop of the feed bin out of the way

[Gloria]

Hi Redjane
this must be very distressing for you but I'm sure it will calm down eventually.
When we introduced 2 new ones to our 3 established girls ( those 3 had only been together for one week!!), one of the new ones -Roberta- had a  very rough ride until recently. She was constantly picked on and it was very distressing. She would get pecked and chased and sleep in the nest box while the others were on the perch etc etc. However things have now settled down and she seems to have found her place in the pack and does not seem to get bullied any more( this is six weeks later) and she is a very feisty young lady, she is always the first to go exploring. She now also sleeps on the perch so she seems to have found her place and been accepted by the others and I hope yours will too.
Good luck    

[MontyTom]

If not causing major harm, give them a few weeks to settle.  Does take a while sometimes but keep your eye on things.  Give them all stuff to peck at, e.g. cabbage leaves hung up so they have to stretch/jump a bit, small seeds to scratch at or peckablock, etc.  Hopefully this may take their minds off pecking each other for a while.  That's what I do with mine and it seems to distract them.

Good luck.

[redjane11]

starting to feel sorry for her, seems that the other 2 have palled up and she on her own, think she may be quite a bit younger as her bit on her head(sorry don't know name) is only small the other ones's is quite a bit bigger, also seems to have a very slender long neck not as feathered up as the others, and thats not due to the pecking looks like a mini road runner

[Aunt Sally]

She does sound younger that the other chickens.  Just give her time she sound like an out going bird and this will compensate for her being at the bottom of the pecking  order.

Just keep putting her to bed after dusk and she will eventually get the idea.  They will settle down eventually.  As long as she has space to escape so that she does not get peck injuries she'll be fine - eventually  

[redjane11]

Thankyou. they have 2 seperate sleeping houses and a nice big, run the old girl also goes out into the field via a pop-up that i can lift for her but at the moment i don't let the 2 newbies into the field i think that the bigger new one would be ok but little one well dread to think what she would do so they staying in, might let bigger one out at the end of the week, i even get a nice little egg from her but haven't had anything from old girl for couple of weeks so don't think she going to lay again.  Had this prob with my old chicken stopped laying and got very heavy got rid in the end as was told she was holding water so hope this old girl not going same way, don't know what causes it think. she prob at least 3 years old never had her from small rescued them from somebody who didn't want them any more,  My 2 newbies are to replace them

[Aunt Sally]

Just give them time  

The water retention you mentioned is probably egg peritonits.  Very common in old hens and usually eventually fatal so often kinder to dispatch.   :cry: