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

[heather_hedgehog]

I started my hen keeping adventures with 2 hens just over 2 years ago. One recently died, since then my Goldline stopped laying and was looking very lonely so I decided to get her some friends...

 

I got 3 more birds, introduced them to the eglu at night hoping for Margory to be over joyed when she was aware of their presence the next day. Couldn't have been more wrong! She chases them around the run pecking at them, stressing them out. I came home from work 3 days in to find one shaking in the middle of the run all hunched up - she had her eye pecked at and had to return her to the lady I bought her from so she could recover!

 

Now with just 2 new birds, I have resorted to separating them and introducing them for an hour a day supervised but each time I try to introduce them Marjory goes for them. I can't even put them together at night for this reason and have had to get a spare house. They have a large walk in run and we have made a smaller area that can be separated off from the rest which is where the new birds go at the moment. I have had them just over 2 weeks now.

 

I realise this will take time but wondered if I should try a bumpa bit on Margory. I have read they help stop feather pecking and thought that I could at least leave them to TRY to get along without the worry of finding a badly injured bird again which was heart breaking! Do people think this may work or at least limit any damage?

 

Grateful for any advice!

[Chickabee]

A run within the run has always worked for me. Then when you do eventually let them all in together (about 2 weeks) lots of perches and different feeders and drinkers. Throw in cabbages and corn, things to take their mind off of each other. Marjory has probably stopped laying because of the time of year, so don't worry about that. Good luck