[Touché Turtle]

Hi all,
sorry for another question but this is new territory for me...

So, I got 3 new girls on Saturday(black pearl, skyline, coucou) to add to my existing 3 who are about 10 months old (bluebelle, white leghorn, goldline).

With no room to quarantine, and them being inoculated / from same supplier I went for putting them straight in together. I waited til bedtime, and for the first day they were all fairly quiet sharing a run together. This was probably because we woke up to 8" of snow on Sunday, so even my existing chooks were a bit wary.    Just a bit of squawking and chasing.
 
However today things are not happy. I realise that a bit of pecking and strutting about is to be expected, but the 3 new ones are basically just cowering together in a corner. They look petrified, and are letting me reach in and pick them up without too much fuss. Any time one of them moves, she's getting 'aggro' from one of the others, particularly the bluebelle.
I've put food & water in separately for them, and I've seen a bit of eating going on, but not a lot. They now have bloodied 'noses' (above their beaks) and the skyline has a bleeding bare patch on her neck. (I'm off to try and find some purple in a minute - pet shop?)

I was originally planning to let them get to know each other in the garden, so there was more room to run and hide, but it's still got about 6" of snow all over it.

So, to my question... Should I separate the two groups and try reintroducing them when they can get into the garden, or is this normal and should I let them get on with it?

Some advice would be really welcome, thanks!

[ANHBUC]

Sounds normal to me, you are doing the right thing with the purple spray.  Just be careful near their eyes, I use a cotton bud or a piece of sponge to apply on the head.

You could try giving them 4 or more containers of layers pellets made into a porridge with boiling water and left to cool.  That way you original 3 won't be able to guard all 4 if you place them far enough apart.  Then your new girls will have a chance to eat and drink at the same time.

Hope things settle down in the next few days.

[Robert_S]

...I got 3 new girls on Saturday(black pearl, skyline, coucou) to add to my existing 3 who are about 10 months old (bluebelle, white leghorn, goldline).

With no room to quarantine, and them being inoculated / from same supplier I went for putting them straight in together. I waited til bedtime, and for the first day they were all fairly quiet sharing a run together. This was probably because we woke up to 8" of snow on Sunday, so even my existing chooks were a bit wary.    Just a bit of squawking and chasing.
 
However today things are not happy. I realise that a bit of pecking and strutting about is to be expected, but the 3 new ones are basically just cowering together in a corner. They look petrified, and are letting me reach in and pick them up without too much fuss. Any time one of them moves, she's getting 'aggro' from one of the others, particularly the bluebelle.
I've put food & water in separately for them, and I've seen a bit of eating going on, but not a lot. They now have bloodied 'noses' (above their beaks) and the skyline has a bleeding bare patch on her neck. (I'm off to try and find some purple in a minute - pet shop?)

Blimey, I could almost have written that myself, except adding 3 new ones to four old ones on Friday not Saturday, Amber Stars, and no blood so far. Look forward to reading any replies. Mine aren't quite getting enough aggro for intervention yet, though the couple of days over the weekend I shut the old ones away for a little while so the new ones could wander around unmolested for a bit. Stressfull times, esp now I'm at work and can't get the wife to keep a permanent eye on them! Am hoping in a few days they will be accepted. No problem at night times, they all huddle together happily enough! Survival instinct taking over I suppose.

[Touché Turtle]

Back from the pet shop with purple spray and some smelly 'anti-pecking' spray. Have administered both, so shall wait and see.

Thanks for the reassurance ANHBUC, I just didn't want to let it get too bad. I didn't see anything like this when I got my original group and they were settling in.

I'll let everyone know how it all goes.

Oh, one little mishap - I sprayed purple onto Smartie's neck and she promptly shook and re-sprayed it back over me. I now look as though I have a peculiar form of measles!!  

[sneezer]

This is completely normal and the only words of comfort I can give is it will get better! It can take any amount of time for them to settle together, I know sometimes it can look brutal but its the way they sort things out, just keep an eye on them how you are now

[ANHBUC]

Back from the pet shop with purple spray and some smelly 'anti-pecking' spray. Have administered both, so shall wait and see.

Thanks for the reassurance ANHBUC, I just didn't want to let it get too bad. I didn't see anything like this when I got my original group and they were settling in.

I'll let everyone know how it all goes.

Oh, one little mishap - I sprayed purple onto Smartie's neck and she promptly shook and re-sprayed it back over me. I now look as though I have a peculiar form of measles!!  

With your original group non of them were defending their territory or food. 

Just put some purple spray on one of my girls baldy bottoms and was extra careful as I have been covered before.  You won't be the last person to have the purple pox!   

[Touché Turtle]

Well, today's update..
The new girls have spent all day in the coop, while the old hands have been in the run. Not that I separated them, the new ones just didn't venture out, and I didn't force them.

 I put some warm mash in with them this morning, which I don't think they touched much, and have just given them some corn and greens. A little bit of pecking at the corn, then straight back into the nest boxes, head first and hiding.

At least they've not been being bullied and have had a quiet day. Not exactly integration though, is it?
Just hope they're not going to turn into full time recluses!

[ANHBUC]

Try to monitor how much they are eating and drinking if they are staying in the coop.  They can loose weight and get dehydrated very quickly.

Hopefully things will settle down in a week or so.

[Robert_S]

TT, I put my older ones in the coop and turfed the new ones out for half an hour this morning to make sure they ate and drank something in peace before I had to go to work. With the old ones out of the picture, the new ones seemed a lot happier and wandered around OK, even having a peck at some brussel sprouts I had brought. There's only one I am a bit concerned about, it does the head hiding thing and often has its eyes closed, but the old ones seem a little bit less inclined to hassle them than they did at first, so it seems things are settling down a little...fingers crossed.

They are still frightened of me, but hunkering down in the run and keeping still made them forget about me quite quickly, one even wandering over to within a few cm of my foot.

[Touché Turtle]

Hi Robert. They do sound in a similar state to mine! I'm just letting mine stay in the coop if they want, and putting their food and drink in with them. I've seen them eating a bit, but not drinking. I guess they must be, but haven't witnessed it.
I'm not sure who's more stressed about all this, me or the chickens!

[Robert_S]

I know what you mean. I think next time I add any to my flock I will divide the run and make sure they are kept apart for a few weeks..or permanently! 

[Casey76]

It is better if you can let them get on with it.  The more you intervene, the longer the pecking order will take to establish.  You can only sit on your hands and have the purple spray at the ready, unfortunately!

[Beano]

Introducing chickens to each other is very stressful and I feel for you both. We have always kept them separate but within sight of each other for at least 2 to 4 weeks (quarantine) and when I eventually let them mix it's in a very large garden fenced off area with plenty of trees and bushes for the youngsters to escape into.
 I'm going to go against the grain now and suggest that you split the run in two if only to let the youngsters get a chance of some food. It's all very well to let them get on with it when you have enough space but if they are confined to a run they have nowhere to hide from their attackers. I know this draws out the process but I'm not keen on the short sharp shock way of doing it. I know I'm going to get told off for suggesting this but it is an alternative you could both try.
Good luck.

[Beano]

Also a stressed chicken is serseptable (spelling)  to  disease.

[Touché Turtle]

Well, I had to intervene.

I was trying to let them get on with it, with a bit of 'time out' for the new girls for a few hours a day so they could eat & drink in peace.

Before I could separate them today the skyline was severely attacked. By the time I found her cowering in a corner she had the most of flesh on her head missing the size of a 10p coin.  I did take a photo, but I don't think you'll want to see it!

I whipped her to the vet, thinking he'd put her down, but he said she'll pull through! She has been stapled back together and given a course of antibiotics. She's now in a large pet carrier in my utility room, eating and drinking and scratching around as if nothing was wrong!!

She's now cost me more in vets bills than she cost to buy, and I've only had her 6 days! Wouldn't have wanted to give up on her if she'll be ok, though.

I think the 2 girls still in with the others are coping better. No missing feathers or bleeding. They seem a bit feistier than the skyline. I'll be keeping a good eye on them though.

What a stress!