Advice introducing new hens!?

[Beckybex]

We picked up 3 new hybrid hens yesterday, they're 18 weeks old. We've had a rocky time with introducing them to our 3 older ladies! We kept them seperate during the afternoon yesterday and then shut them all in together at bed time. We were advised to let them all out together into the run this morning but they've been scrapping all day. One of the new hens in particular is really being bullied and hasn't made it out the henhouse all day, every time her head pokes out one of our old girls rushes over and chases her back in!

Has anyone got any suggestions? We'll put them all back to bed again tonight I guess. Should we attempt to split the run in half so that they can get used to each other on either sides of the fence?!

[pdblake]

Having exactly the same trouble here, only 4 against 2. They're viscious little sods aren't they?

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh dear, I am introducing new ones tomorrow and again on Saturday. Am I best to try and keep them separate till Saturday?

[RichmondHens]

No - Shove them all in together at night time and let them out a bit later than normal the next day. They will fight, probably for several days, but this is PERFECTLY NORMAL as the pecking order is established. By the end of a week they should all have settled down a bit.

[Hilary B]

Trick that may work for introducing a few hens to an established not-too-large group.
Put the 'top hen' of the established group with the newcomers for a few days, THEN put them all back with the originals (still do the 'putting together' at night).
Not tried it, but chook psychology suggests it might work.

[shirlthegirl43]

Can I ask how long I can safely keep hens in a large cardboard box then? I am collecting some tomorrow at 4.30 so not too hard to keep them separate till bed time, but the 6 on Saturday have to be collected by 1 - will they be okay in a big box till 7.30?

Sorry for hijacking the thread but there seems little point in starting another to ask about the same thing

[MaureenHall]

I'd fence off (temporarily) part of the run, then if the new girls are getting bashed around more than you feel comfortable about, you can pop them into their respite part. Still put them together at night though

[davefromthechipie]

We picked up 3 new hybrid hens yesterday, they're 18 weeks old. We've had a rocky time with introducing them to our 3 older ladies! We kept them seperate during the afternoon yesterday and then shut them all in together at bed time. We were advised to let them all out together into the run this morning but they've been scrapping all day. One of the new hens in particular is really being bullied and hasn't made it out the henhouse all day, every time her head pokes out one of our old girls rushes over and chases her back in!

Has anyone got any suggestions? We'll put them all back to bed again tonight I guess. Should we attempt to split the run in half so that they can get used to each other on either sides of the fence?!

keep them in the pen separate with chicken wire for about 3 days, so the others can see them then do what richmondhens said
Its hard to watch as they will get pecked alot !! ,but just walk away and let them get on with it . cruel to be kind fits in here trying to help out a bullied new chicken only seems to make things worse in the long run .. from what i have found anyway.

[Beckybex]

Thanks for the advice. Went up to see the girls at bedtime and they seemed to have calmed a little bit. The new girls were hanging around close to the hen house and the original ones were ignoring them and roaming further away. Have put them all to bed together again so fingers crossed for tomorrow!

[RedThorn]

If the lead hen is particularly bad after a few days, every time she does really go for the one at the bottom of the pecking order, pick her up and hold her for a few minutes letting her see what she's missing out(especially at afternoon corn time) on and it settled my girl down after a day or two.

[RichmondHens]

Can I ask how long I can safely keep hens in a large cardboard box then? I am collecting some tomorrow at 4.30 so not too hard to keep them separate till bed time, but the 6 on Saturday have to be collected by 1 - will they be okay in a big box till 7.30?

Sorry for hijacking the thread but there seems little point in starting another to ask about the same thing

They should be ok. As long as they are kept quiet (and they should be quiet in a dark box) then they will think of it as an extended sleep. You could try putting a little water and food in but to be honest, they will probably knock it over.

If you feel my method is too harsh, then by all means rig up a temporary enclosure, but you may have trouble later on catching them up to transfer them to the hen house.

[pdblake]

No - Shove them all in together at night time and let them out a bit later than normal the next day. They will fight, probably for several days, but this is PERFECTLY NORMAL as the pecking order is established. By the end of a week they should all have settled down a bit.

Ours seem to be a bit quieter today. The newbies are still getting chased a bit but they're not getting beaten up They seem to be getting plenty of food and water anyway and don't look quite as timid as earlier in the week.