New Chickens-pecking order

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bottomleypots
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Location: Harrogate, N Yorks

I have just bought 4 POL pullets and have put them in with my existing 3 hens, and there has been what I can only describe as a mexican standoff!!
The older ones have them pinned in a corner of the run frightened to move.
Does anyone have any tips for helping them mix in or is it just thepecking order being established.......
"An hour digging is better than two hours in the Gym"
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John
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Hello Bpots
The best thing to do is probably to keep them separated during the day - a very simple temporary enclosure from an old roll of chicken wire will do - so that they can eye each other up for a few days and get used to each other. They should all be OK at night in the same house.
It does help a lot if when the new stock very first arrive they are added into the chicken house in the evening after the other birds have gone in. Also try to be around for the first day or two (easier said than done) as they will all regard their keeper as no. 1 in the pecking scheme and are less likely to pick a pick fight with other hens.

Hope this helps

John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
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John
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Hello again BP
If you have any left over greens or, better still, unwanted spring greens, hang these up in the pen as they will give the hens something to peck at and distract them from being nasty to their sisters!

John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
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Diane
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It's a bit late now - but the usual thing to do is to keep the newbies separate but in view of the originals for at least a fortnight if you can. Not only will this get them used to each other - but when you bring in new stock then the move can stress them out and bring out any underlying disease or ailments which could possibley be passed on to the originals.
. This fortnight's grace will allow things to settle down and also for you to assess the health of the newbies and worm them and treat for mites, etc.

When putting them in with the originals, do it at nighttime. Expect a lot of squabbles and handbagging - but, unless blood is drawn, then let them get on with it. Put a few more feeders and drinkers in the run.
'Preserve wildlife - pickle a rat'
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bottomleypots
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Location: Harrogate, N Yorks

Thanks for advice, things are calming down a bit now!!
"An hour digging is better than two hours in the Gym"
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