help with new chicken being bullied by other two australorps?

[henexpertwannabe]

hello, I've had two black sister australorps for the past 6 months and I introduced an adult blue australorp yesterday. the blue is a little bigger than them but she is very gentle and the other two have been pecking her/bullying her to the point where they aren't letting her eat or lay an egg and I noticed some dried blood on her comb today she doesn't fight back at all and instead continues to follow the two black ones around. they roosted together the first night fine but tonight the two weren't allowing it so I had to put the blue in a separate area. I can't afford to expand my coop right now where they roost but I do have a runner attached. They all usually free range in my large backyard. Any advice on how to stop this bullying? should i let the blue free range while keeping the black ones in their coop for a few days?

 

[Tonyroo]

Take the bully and confine her separately away from the blue and lesser bully hen.

Keep her in your garage or house for 2 days or a week. Then bring her back to the group. And make observations to see how there behaving.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How did you introduce them? Did you just toss her in or was there an integration period with a see but don't touch area for the new bird?

Any photos of your set up?

 

[henexpertwannabe]

How did you introduce them? Did you just toss her in or was there an integration period with a see but don't touch area for the new bird?

Any photos of your set up?

I will take photos but honestly I just "tossed her in" as they were free ranging

 

[3KillerBs]

"Tossing them in" rarely works well. The newcomer being bullied is exactly what would be expected from that situation.

You need a "see-don't-touch" period.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[henexpertwannabe]

"Tossing them in" rarely works well. The newcomer being bullied is exactly what would be expected from that situation.

You need a "see-don't-touch" period.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

:/
can i do this even tho I've already introduced them?

 

[3KillerBs]

:/
can i do this even tho I've already introduced them?

Yes, you can put the newbie into a safe pen in the middle of the flock so that everyone can get used to everyone else.

This is one iteration of my integration pen: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mini-coop-or-integration-pen-from-a-large-dog-crate.76593/

 

[rosemarythyme]

:/
can i do this even tho I've already introduced them?

Yup. I'd slow things down and give them a chance to get to know each other while both sides feel safe first, then after a week or two you can try letting them interact again. It's completely natural that the existing birds are trying to defend their territory against a newcomer, while the newcomer (being alone) wants to join the flock.

Photos would still be great, as there's definitely "better" ways to set up a coop/run/free range area for integration, and "maybe it'll work, maybe it won't" ways.

 

[aart]

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Then there's this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

 

[Mrs. K]

all is not lost, and don't back up! Or it will take forever!

Do let your original pair out into the yard, locking the new girl in the coop/run. Let her explore the area without being harassed. Try feeding along the fence line so they can eat 'together'.

Afte 2-3 days, leave one of the hens in with the new hen. Probably be a dust up, but one on one. Should settle pretty good. Do that for two or three days, then add the third one.

Do add a couple of feed bowls, so when a bird is eating at one, can't see another. Plywood, or even cardboard can be set up as mini walls that you can set a feed bowl behind.

Another trick is to divide the roost into two parts with cardboard hung from the ceiling to the roost. This will keep them from bullying once they are roosted. You might have to manually put the original two on one side, and the new one on the other for a night or two.

Mrs K