[Under The Hill]

I am really at a loss as to what to do.  I have two hens (three and one died in the summer) who we have had for 2 years.   We bought 3 bantams about 3 weeks ago and they are just not getting on with the hens.  We have a pen which is about 10 foot by 6 foot with a coup which is 3 feet square and split into three sections.   When I got the bantams I kept them in the pen with the other two hens but I separated them with window panes so they could see each other but not get to each other.   And I put them into the coup at night on perch but in a different section than the hens.    I stopped separating them after about a week but put up extra perches higher up with food and water near these as the bantams seemed to want to be up here and were chased and pecked by one of my hens in particular.  I put the food up there as I was worried that they were not eating and drinking as they didn't come down from there all day!  A couple of times I came down at night (around 11pm) and found my two hens out of their coup and in the pen, they had put themselves to bed at dusk in the coup but must have come out?  A friend who used to have chickens said that this was not good and showed that the hens were stressed and she told me I should shut the door of the coup once they all went to bed and this would help them all bond.   So I have been doing this for the past week.    I still have to put the bantams into the coup each night as otherwise they would just stay on the high perch in the pen.   The bantams will not come down from the perches all day unless I let the two hens out to free range but as soon as the hens come back they chase the bantams and they go back up onto the perches.    I wonder if I should get rid of all the high perches and just let them fight it out ? !!!   I have covered the base of the pen with 3 inches of fallen leaves there is various hanging bits of cabbage and sprout leaves and a large pumpkin, so I am hoping there is lots to keep them all occupied.  One hen in particular seems to chase the bantams pecking them until they jump up off the floor of the pen.  Please help - is this normal? 

[snow white]

Separate the bully hen for a week and see if that changes the way things are.

[Under The Hill]

Okay, should I put her back at night, or keep her separated completely?   I let them free range a bit in the day if I am in the garden office, the bantams are staying put even when the door is open from the pen, but should I let the other hen, the one that is not bullying also free range with the bully hen or just let her free range on her own and keep the bully hen in a separate place and not able to free range with the other hen?   Oh god, I suppose there is no right or wrong way I should just play it by ear?   But I will have to make up some separate pen etc for the hen if I am going to separate her and how will I make it fox proof at night?

[New shoot]

Keep the high perches as the bantams need a place of refuge with their own food and water while they sort this out.  The bully can be put into a foldaway rabbit run if you can get hold of one cheaply - sometimes they are offered second hand on Preloved. 

At night, she could go into a puppy cage and then into a garage or shed, but once they are bedded down and settled there should be little aggro going on.  Its going to bed and getting up that are the flash points.   

Complete separation is best if you can manage it.  It lets the remaining hen form a bond with the newbies and weakens the position of the bully on her return.

The bully needs to be taught her place.  If you catch her at it, put your hand gently on her back and hold her down on the ground, then pick her up and walk round with her under your arm.  This establishes you as flock leader, not her.

Good luck with it all, but try not to get too worried over it all.  I have had new girls camping out on the platform I have in my big run for the first few weeks.  If they feel safe up there and have their own supplies, they are fine 

[Beekissed]

It's normal.  You don't have a bully, you have a flock leader and she's teaching these new birds the pecking order in HER flock.  Close them all into the coop at night and let them free range in the day so they have space to avoid one another...they will eventually work it all out and be one flock. 

It's hard to understand and watch the social interactions of chickens but it happens the same way in every flock all over the world and yours is no different.  Just let them work it out and all will be well. 

[grinling]

how is it going?

are the older hens not bantam size?