[arrowni]

I have 2 pekins and a pekin rooster and today I got a duck and 3 hens who all had to be kept together. I introduced them today but all they did was fight. The hens are much bigger than the pekins and they just stood all over them, even the rooster got a taste of his own medicene.

I also have 2 other bantis but not sure what type and they all bullied them by pecking at them and chasing them. I now have them all seperated with each group having their own area but I would much prefer to have them all together and let them be as close to nature as possible without any interferance.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Gardengirl]

I have rescued Battery Hens, and have introduced several new girls into the flock. The trick is to keep them separate for usually a couple of weeks, but allow them to see each other and even touch each other - but through a protective medium.  So, I let my old ones run free while the new ones are in the run.  There's much charging at the wire, but eventually things calm down, and with care you can start to introduce them when you are there.  You do need to keep them separate for a while....

[arrowni]

Thanks for that. I have them seperated in  a tempory pen with wire in between them, but they still peck through at the pekins etc. Today the rooster and 2 hens had a real go at eachother through the wire with one of the chickens catching the roosters comb. It was then that I stepped in and seperated them.

The duck and the 3 new hens are inseperable and he/she follows the hens around everywhere and he/she keeps wiping her bill on the hens which they seem to enjoy.

[Sassy]

I would echo what gardengirl has said. I have only introduced birds three times but have kept them in a broody coop in the main hen run for about 10 days - including 6 week olds. When I let them out there was some interest, but apart from a feather being pulled out of one it has always been a none event. I suppose all birds are different though and you have to be vigilant in case anything serious goes down.