4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[NClaire]

I'm hoping to get another chicken this week or next - I have a bullied Goldline, who has been mistreated by my evil Black Rock, ended up with a cut foot they were all pecking at, so I pulled her out. She is in a rabbit hutch atm, and although fairly annoyed at being confined, is flourishing - her comb is growing, and is redder than for ages, she is eating more etc. So I am getting a new smallish coop/run for her, and thought she would like a friend.

 

So, I started another thread, asking about docile breeds, and there's some really useful info, and I've narrowed it down to either a White Star or a Bluebelle. I'd love a White Star, but I know they are flighty (which obviously is at odds with the docile bit!). So what I'm wondering is whether flighty means she would be more timid of Dopey, and not peck her, or be henpecked herself (Dopey is very placid). And maybe a bluebelle would therefore be better - but they are bigger and might bully Dopey!

 

Advice please!!!! Over on , two people have said a WS would be good because it would be less likely to bully Dopey - what do you think?

[Snowy]

My new whitestar is lovely! A real character! Flighty yes, as in I can't get near her, but not so scared that she doesn't follow me round the garden Definitely more likely to run than attack though And she isn't laying yet, so there is hope

[Phosphorus]

My white star came a few days after the others, administrative error She was quickly the top chook - wouldn't let the other girls into the Cube etc. Things then settled down, once pecking order was established

 

She is flighty but has a great character, more the boss than one of the victims still.

 

I do think it depends on the individual hen though

[yvonne]

I recently introduced a white start and a black rock to an older rhode island red and whilst the white star is definately "flighty" ie flew over the eglu, the netting and the fence during the first couple of hours, otherwise all went remarkably well. She is a very pretty chicken with fantastic porcelain-like eggs and gets on fine with the other two and now she knows where she can go makes no efforts to escape (fingers crossed). I'd definately recommend them, however, as said before each chicken is different.

[Cinnamon]

I had no problem introducing my old White Star to my flock a while ago, & am in fact going to be replacing her soon after losing her recently.

They can run like the clappers to get themselves out of trouble

 

I think that so long as you take the intros slowly,are prepared for all eventualities & read up well,there should be no problem

[chickencam]

We had trouble when we introduced our White Star, we got her and a Light Sussex at the same time thinking that it would be easier to introduce 2 rather than one.

 

We introduced 2 white hens to 2 Pepperpots and I think the colour difference may not have helped. Both white girls are very scared of everything. Dippy the White Star is definately bottom chook and is always running away from one or other of the rest and we can't get near her either. The only way we can catch her is to get her shut into the Eglu first.

 

She has been a fantastically reliable layer though.

 

She is also a feather puller which has caused problems she even pulls her own feathers out where she can reach. She is not as pretty as she should be because of this