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

[PaganPete]

I recently lost my Pepperpot, leaving a solitary hen. I have now got an Orpington and she is beautiful.

I read up on how to introduce a new hen but notthing has worked. The original hen is very aggresive towards the new hen and have had to separate them,again , to save the new hen.

I am now desparate, can any one please help?

[Charlottechicken]

It took me three weeks to integrate my Warren with my original Pepperpot. I tried to put them together straight away but it resulted in very aggressive fighting, and finally split the run with a fence they could see each other through and made them share a food trough under the fence. After that I let them freerange together, supervised, and then put them together at nights only. Bossy, the pepperpot, would give Francesca a good peck before bed and then I would separate them during the day. After around three weeks I thought they should be put together and they were a little aggressive with each other but are now the best of friends.

 

It can take ages!

 

Good luck

[Karen & co.]

How old are your hens Pete? It may be easier to introduce 2 new girls to the older one it just gives them safety in numbers. Also how long have you been trying to introduce the new girl? It could be a breed thing as Orpintons are very gentle hens, and my Pepperpots are quite feisty girls

 

Make sure you have more than one feeding point, so the dominant hen can't stop her getting to both, same with the water. Could you let them out so that they have as much room as possible and the more timid hen can get away?

 

Good luck.

 

Karen x

[Olly]

I found the tips worked but it does take time, and if it isn't working you may need to go back to stage 1. The longer they can have to see each other through a fence, eat small scattered treats along the perimeter fence etc, the easier it is when they are eventually together.

 

However, I would not expect them to be 'best friends' immediately even after that. They need to decide who is top hen, and there will be a bit of pecking and shouting until one of them accepts the subservient position. It looks horrible, but it's what they have to do and the best thing is to let them sort it out as long as there's no actual injury being inflicted. You may need to just grit your teeth, stand by with a water-pistol or a broom, and let them get on with it for an hour or so.

[Woodcat]

hey

 

 

The other thing you can try if you have time and your hen is being nasty is a water pistol. We had one hen who would not stop attacking our last newbie and i ended up spending two days in the garden with them shooting a water pistol everytime they got two agressive. twas a pain but it did work in the end.

 

You havn't said how long you've been trying. My usual estimates on intergrating one is one month till toleration and then about 3 months till they are a proper flock.

 

Good luck

[PaganPete]

Thank you all.

 

Amazingly they are now ok. They were out in the garden and I Didnt realise that the door on there run had closed.

 

As it started to get dark they found somewhere to roost.....together!! And now seem to be friends (not best friends though).

 

Again, Thank you all for your advice and support.

 

Pete

 

[Redwing]

Thats good news Pete.

 

If it happens again put the new hen where the old one was living and put the old one in temp accom, a spell off of 'her patch' may do the trick