My new chicken won’t bond with my flock

[Ryanthenewchickenman]

So I’m quite new to chickens and I got some 11 week old pullets about 1 week and half ago. My family outvoted me and decided we needed to also get one laying hen. About 3 days ago we picked up this frizzle hen from a sketchy Craigslist lady. The Craigslist lady says that she is if laying age but I don’t know for sure. She is missing lots of feathers on top of her head and her wing feathers are half clipped and half bare. We felt bad for her and decided to buy her to get her out of that environment. We introduced her at night and in the past three days she hasn’t bonded with my flock at all. She roosts in her own corner. She sits in her own corner of the run and barely interacts with the flock. I just want her to feel comfortable. What’s the best way to get her to be friendly or even just somewhat interact with my flock. She pecks at them when the get close.

 

[azygous]

Chickens are social and cliquish in their own way much as humans are. Place a strange human or chicken into a bunch of strangers of their species, and it's predictable that no one is going to be instant friends for life.

Chickens can behave rather sullenly when thrust into a new environment. It's understandably stressful for them. Your new hen needs time and space to adjust.

It's also normal for an older chicken to peck at younger, less experienced chickens who are themselves still trying to find their way around in a new place. Be patient.

You can help your chickens adjust by giving them plenty of space to work through their different temperaments. Provide a minimum of ten square feet of run space or let them free range as soon as you've cooped the new hen to establish in her mind where her new home is. Then try to stand back and intervene only when absolutely necessary and let the chickens work it out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Really hope the new hen hasn't brought any diseases or parasites with her, given her living conditions, but it's too late to quarantine her now. Chicken integration isn't an instant thing, and you're also working against the age difference here, so expect her to be standoffish towards the younger birds until they're old enough to lay.

As long as she isn't injuring the younger birds or trying to chase them from all food sources, probably best to just let them work through this with time and patience.

 

[Pounddogsrock]

So I’m quite new to chickens and I got some 11 week old pullets about 1 week and half ago. My family outvoted me and decided we needed to also get one laying hen. About 3 days ago we picked up this frizzle hen from a sketchy Craigslist lady. The Craigslist lady says that she is if laying age but I don’t know for sure. She is missing lots of feathers on top of her head and her wing feathers are half clipped and half bare. We felt bad for her and decided to buy her to get her out of that environment. We introduced her at night and in the past three days she hasn’t bonded with my flock at all. She roosts in her own corner. She sits in her own corner of the run and barely interacts with the flock. I just want her to feel comfortable. What’s the best way to get her to be friendly or even just somewhat interact with my flock. She pecks at them when the get close.

I’m sure that a little time will create a happy hen. It sounds like she has a much better home with you. It’s sounds like she’s been surrounded with too many roosters from your description of her appearance. She’s probably enjoying the extra space you’ve provided and wants a group break for a while. With good food, space, and sunshine, she’ll be back to her beautiful self and become more sociable. I’m glad you saved her from the shady lady!

 

[aart]

As @Mrs. K sez "never take a bird that you feel sorry for".
Might be even sorrier later.

 

[Ryanthenewchickenman]

As @Mrs. K sez "never take a bird that you feel sorry for".
Might be even sorrier later.

It was just too hard not to. I just want her to be happy.