Integrating rescue hens

[shoshua]

We had a flock of five hens (just turned 2 years old) and a rooster (a little over 1 year old), and got three hens who were rescues from an egg-laying operation (a little over 1 year old). The rescue hens are healthy, but skittish. One is missing (but growing back) feathers on about two-thirds of her neck, and throughout her body. The other two are fully feathered. We kept them in separate enclosures and coops for over three weeks, and they were able to "see but not touch". The rescues were introduced to the existing flock by putting them into the existing flock's coop at night. We set up a second feeder and waterer on the opposite side of the run with a few pallets that a chicken could run under.

Since we combined all of them, the existing flock has largely bullied the rescues, mostly chasing them away from food. This caused the rescues to spend most of the day roosting/hiding in the coop - they don't really stand up for or assert themselves that we've seen. The rescues get along with our rooster, he'll hang out with them and eat with them on "their side" of the run, but doesn't seem to do much in terms of protecting them from the other hens. He mates with them, which seems to freak them out, but he leaves them unharmed. For the past two days, we set up an enclosure inside the run and put the rescues in there with food and water so they could safely spend the day outside and everyone could get used to the idea that they were allowed to have food and water. When they're let out of their enclosure at dusk so everyone can roost, the existing flock is a little nicer than they were (they'll peck some scratch grains alongside the rescues for a few seconds), but still chase the rescues off more than not.

Hoping others have had success in integrating rescues into an existing flock! Would love to know if there are any recommendations for a different approach, or if we just need to be patient and let the chickens all figure it out. Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Since they have likely been caged all their lives, they don't have any experience living like a chicken. This will take patience. If you have another housing option, put the original birds in that and the new ones in the primary housing. Then reintroduce the original flock one at a time, probably beginning with the rooster.
Chickens will always view interlopers as a threat to the flock and should be driven off.
Are the new birds laying eggs yet?

 

[shoshua]

Since they have likely been caged all their lives, they don't have any experience living like a chicken. This will take patience. If you have another housing option, put the original birds in that and the new ones in the primary housing. Then reintroduce the original flock one at a time, probably beginning with the rooster.
Chickens will always view interlopers as a threat to the flock and should be driven off.
Are the new birds laying eggs yet?

We were getting about one egg a day from the new hens when they were in their own run, but none since the integration.
How quickly would you recommend reintroducing original flock members? Start with the rooster then add one original hen each day?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That may work. They are all individuals. Some flocks will change behavior and acceptance after only a day of separation but often it needs two or more days.
The eggs from the first day after arrival had been ovulated while they were at the other facility.
The stress from the move, not to mention bullying, can prevent ovulation for days, weeks or even months.

 

[BDutch]

I would give the rescues their own coop and run for at least a few months. They need time to heal. Get over the stress they had after the big change and the introduction that was probably too soon. An extra coop and run for a few months can do wonders for them. After the moult they become heartier, stronger and more confident.
Creating a stressful situation for your existing flock is not what I would do.

Its normal that ex-bats stop laying after arrival bc the farmer knows they start to moult and stop laying very soon. And he doesn’t want hens that cost money.

Side note:
Im sceptical about rescuing ex-bats. Of course you bought them with the best intentions, and I hope they have a long and good life with you. I just wont ever buy them myself, bc have been reading too often about issues with ex-bats. Ex industrial hens often get nasty health problems around 3-5 yo caused by extreme inbreeding for max egg production in the first 18 - 20 months of their life.