# Resident chicken not accepting newcomers!



## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

I recently had to have one of my chickens put to sleep leaving one chicken on her own. I thought I would get another couple for company for her and also so we could have some eggs as she seems to have stopped laying now. Unfortunately the introduction has not gone well and she still has not accepted the other 2 younger birds and when they are within a reasonable distance she keeps going for them. In the coop at night you also here her going for them. It only goes quiet when it gets dark.

So my questions are will she eventually accept them or not? And if she does how long can it take?

I don' really want to get rid of the 2 I've just bought but it may have to happen.


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## ljb107 (Nov 16, 2008)

Just give them a bit of time. My 2 pekin hens used to be the same with youngsters but after a few days of putting the others in their place they were fine.

I'd just leave them to it aslong as they're eating/drinking and aren't being injured.

Lloyd :2thumb:


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

They should do after time. I'd put a wire fence between them during the day so they can get used to eachother without harming eachother.
They normally do but once I put 2 old hybrids with my laying flock and they attacked the 18 other birds and 3 young cockerels quite aggressively! They know their place now after I put them with my big Sussex cock and the meat birds.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks for your reply. I forgot to say that it has been a week now since I got them. They are not getting injured.


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

You have to leave them to it. They need ot sort out the order of things. So long as there is no blood drawn all will be fine, just keep an eye on them and give thme plenty to distract them.


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

leave them be unless you notice serious injury, they'l sort themselves out eventually. 

to put a positive spin on it all, you have just learnt the origin of the phrase 'establishing a pecking order' :lol2:


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## ljb107 (Nov 16, 2008)

I wouldn't split them with wire either as it'll just be like doing the same thing with 2 cockbirds, they'll just lay into each other when theres no partition. Not saying it wouldn't work though :2thumb:


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## paulajo (Oct 13, 2010)

If theyve been together for the last week and theres no injuries, i'd personally leave them together. There is always a pecking order and one hen will remain the more dominant one. Looks like she's it!

They will settle but its just horrible to here. When ive had that problem in the past ive tried to do things to distract them for a while, like hanging brocolli off the fence, fairly high so they have to stretch a little and have to work to get it or scatter small amounts of corn, sparingly but all over. 

Unless theres serious wounds i wouldnt worry too much. 

All the best Paula


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

I won't be splitting them as I can't see it helping. I know there is always a pecking order but I wouldn't want to think that this constant bullying will last long as that's not fair on the other 2.

They tend to spend a lot of time apart anyway as they have a lot of free roaming time in the garden and the youngsters will stay together in one part of the garden and the 'bully' stays at the other. It's only really when they get near each other that all hell breaks loose :gasp: . The 2 youngsters are too young and soft to answer back and defend themselves. As the older hen is an ex battery hen she doesn't have a good beak as she was de-beaked so that has worked in their favour otherwise I think there may have been more damage done than there has been.

Thanks for the advice. I will try and persevere with it a little longer.


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

I had the same situation - introduced two new to one old bird - she picked on one - in the end I had to get rid of the one being bullied as she was getting feather pecked and was being kept away from food and losing weight. Hopefully your outcome will be different - but I would keep a close eye on them


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

I will keep a good eye on them thanks. I have been making sure they have access to food away from her.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

A trick that I've used, which has worked, is to spray all of the birds with diluted vinegar solution then only put them together when it gets dark, because they all smell the same they find it hard to differentiate the newcomers, and by morning everyone gets along as if they've always been together!

That's the theory at least, and as I say it's worked for me so probably worth a try.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks everyone for their advice. I decided to ride it out and not separate them at all and it seems to have worked. Whilst the older hen does still ocassionally have a go at the other 2 I would say that things have deffo improved 99%. I think she will aways be a bit of a bossy boots, she has always been quite confident, but at least things are easing for the newcomers.


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