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Hi 👋 I am trying to introduce 2 new approx. 18week pekin bantams to my existing flock of 5 smaller slightly younger Pekin bantams (10-16 weeks). The hens in the existing flock are smaller than the new hens so the 2 new hens are dominant - they have been overly bossy, guarding the food etc. I introduced them for a week before combining, have two feeders/waterers and everything seemed a bit tense but ok - normal pecking order stuff. By night 3 the new hens started roosting early, pecking any hens that entered straight out of the cube and guarding the door so no other hen would go in! I read I should try re-introducing the new hens one at a time over a couple of days. I have separated one in the run today, the other one left with the flock does seem less bossy and eventually settled in the cube tonight after some squabbling but without kicking out any of the smaller hens. Is this the right approach - does anyone have any other suggestions??? Thank you in advance!

Hi, I'm just about to become a first-time chicken-keeper. Because I have a tiny garden, I'm am planning to keep my birds on my allotment. I've just got a 3 metre cube Mk2, plus additional walk in 2 metre run, and am aiming for 4 chicken layers - (x-breeds) to start. But the only way to buy chickens in my local rural area is my town's weekly fur and feather market, where people don't pick up / hold their chickens before purchase. I havent lived here long so don't know any of the breeders (although this is a lovely place and I am sure people would help if I knew what to ask). Please, does anyone have advice here? From outside a cage in a noisy auction shed, what should I look for? Also chickens tend to be for sale in pairs. If I buy 2 pairs and put them in together, will they all fight?