Chicken boarders

[weatherbee]

We bought two new hens a couple of weeks ago to add to our original remaining pair, a Lohmann and a Black Rock. For some reason the idea of getting more than two hens didn't occur to me, I guess because we started out with four last year.

 

Carmella, the boss hen, has been bullying Bella (a Bluebelle) and D'Arcy (a White Star) unmercifully, despite lots of strategies to keep them separate, let them free range, provide lots of extra food and water stations etc. It dawned on me that this might have been diffused had we got four, rather than two, new hens.

 

Am I too late to add another two? Or will this add to the integration problems rather than lessen them?

[jackian]

We started with 3 and lost one so added 2 more and it took about 4 weeks to finally get sorted ..screaming like an old fish wife from one ,which went on for days .

I am not sure if it would make any difference but it would save you doing the intros again (any excuse )

I just think patience is the key .

[weatherbee]

Thanks, that's made me feel better.

 

I've decided just to stick with two new'uns, and as you suggest, be patient and see what happens. I sprayed them with some anti peck spray, (so they now look and smell terrible), and today all of them have been a little better as they've been free ranging most of the time.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Next time, of course, I might need to buy at least FIVE new hens...

 

[gongladosh]

Once when doing introductions, I tried anti-peck spray. The bully hen quickly sussed out that she could peck, then drink some water to get rid of the taste, then peck again...

[daxigirl]

Have you thought about a bumpa bit? It's worked a treat on my Evil Edna, she's quite chilled now.

[weatherbee]

That's a thought - thank you. If things don't improve in the next few days I'll try that, too. Anti peck spray hasn't stopped the pecking, though who's to know if it would be even worse without it!