[kirstie1978]

Hey everyone

Sadly I had to have my light Sussex put down yesterday. Flump, my bantam silkie was moping so today I got her a small bantam Orpington as a friend. First thing they do is go for each other and now the silkie is hiding in the coop and the Orpington pottering round the garden.
What can I do?? Has been a bad time for me recently and having split up with my other half and still being off work since my car accident can't handle the stress!
Any advice please!!

[Beano]

Oh I'm so sorry and to top it all January is a depressing month!!
I remember being really disapointed when I introduced a new chicken to replace an old one. Mine were not pleased at all and gave her a very hard time. If you're anything like me, you feel guilty for introducing a new "friend" that ends up bulliyng the silke.
All I can say is give them time and make sure that you have plenty of food and water stations and somewhere for the silkie to hide. Just keep an eye on things and give the silkie some treats just for her.
When you see them sharing a dustbath together for the first time (which could take weeks) you will know that you did the right thing for your silkie.
Good luck and hope things get better for you and Flump soon.

[kirstie1978]

so you reckon it should sort out in time? what about tonight and sleeping? there is an upstairs and downstairs part to the coop.... should i just sit it out and hope?
totally gutted and not sure what to do... the new one's only 5 months old and the silkie a couple of months older. Just so worried now...

[PaulineM]

Hi
All I can add is that they should settle in time.
Remember you original hen will not see you introducing a new hen the same as we do.
She will just see an impostor on her territory, the new one is probably just fascinated with her new surroundings.
As you are at home at the moment keep a really close eye on them, put them in together when its dark and get up extra early to let them out again and after a few days hopefully they will be best friends.
Have some anti-peck spray and purple spray on hand just in case tho.
 

[kirstie1978]

Oh what are those sprays??? will they be ok in a large run with the same coop overnight then?? I've also just noticed the new one is sneezing a bit... but she is being quite vocal so could it be to do with that or have i managed to get her with a problem? Oh this is turning out to be a nightmare! :o(

[victoria_plum]

We introduced two new girls to our original three, and they were a bit older so were a bit bigger.

We were so excited, but I regretted it from the beginning.  I put them in the house when they were dozey, so they would all wake up together.  But our three girls, who were lovely (we thought) turned into little b*tches - they didn't even let them out of the house.  It was like a hold up!  They pecked them every time they tried to run past, they were a nightmare!!!

But, a few days later and all harmony was restored.  You would never have thought now that they were not a fivesome from the off.  You just have to let them sort it out themselves, it's the nature of chickens to establish a 'pecking order'  - now I realise why!

I have a fantastic breeder and she says there is nothing you can do - just let them get on with it. 

Be brave and let them get on with it!!

[kirstie1978]

Ok! Thanks. Just worried if they start fighting overnight and I can't help. Don't want to loose either, only asking that they be friends?! Not that much is it?! Haha! Will put them to bed earlier although my silkie is still hiding inside :o( fingers crossed and any more stories or advice is welcome, just worried as want it to work out.
Thanks everyone

[victoria_plum]

You could try taking the new one out - just as it starts to get a bit dark, but before bed.  Put her in a box indoors for an hour in a room with the lights off, then when the silkie is fast asleep you could pop the new one in.  They'll both be half asleep so should sleep happily til morning.

[kirstie1978]

Oh no flump is running away from the new chicken. She's terrified. :o(

[joyfull]

in an ideal world you would have introduced these slowly - if only from a health point of view. The newcomer could be harbouring an infection and if she is sneezing she may well be doing so (possibly myco which can show up in times of stress). They should be kept separate for a couple of weeks but in full view and then moved gradually closer.
All I can suggest for now if you don't have another coop is to remove the new one until it is dark then move her in to the coop when they are both sleepy. Get up early as has been suggested and let them out, making sure they have several feeders, drinkers and plenty of things to distract them. Keep around and arm yourself with purple spray which you can get from equestrian suppliers.

[Beano]

I would not put them to bed earlier. victoria_plum's idea seems a good one and make sure you let them out as early as poss. in the morning. Are you able to split the run in half?
If you can you could do that tomorrow so that flump can relax a bit and they can get used to each other slowly. I know it is a horrible thing to stand back and watch. The one I introduced first is quite happily picking on two new pullets by now, so it does get better.

[kirstie1978]

i have a coop/run which is inside a large run, although the chickens roam all over teh garden. there is no shutters to the top and bottom of teh coop, but i could put one in teh top/botom depending on where flump goes tonight. would i be better off keeping the new one in teh cat carrier inside then for the time being or in teh garage at night and just letting them out together during the day for the time being so flump can get away? i need to make this work!

[Beano]

Things will sort themselves quicker if you have the courage to let it. It is difficult and I can only tell you what I would do, which is let them sleep together in the same coop but get up very early in the morning to let them both out together. I would be tempted to split the run somehow and separate them in sight of each other and maybe letting them be together for some of the day (depending how it goes). Dont forget, this is only the first day. It will get better.

[kirstie1978]

ok how about a cat carrier in the run.. so put new chicken in carrier overnight in the run??? that the best solution??

[joyfull]

overnight should be fine in the coop together as they will be asleep, but you need to be up early to let them out when they wake up.