Friends of ours are moving to town and cannot take their chickens with them. I found a really good new home for them and the rooster but I had to promise to keep their favorite chicken, called Chicko. I have already got 5 chickens (too many eggs) so I had to introduce Chicko to my ladies. I tried to distract with some special foods but soon enough the others attacked Chicko, making sure she knows her place.... I put her in the spare pen next door for a few hours until I got home from work and I let them all out, which was fine.
When I had to lock them up in the evening I wasn't quite sure what to do with Chicko. First I put her in the spare pen again, but she seemed stressed. (I know at night they all want to huddle up next to each other to feel safe), so I put her in the pen with the others (which already roosted) and put her on the top board. Well, Chicko jumped straight down again and wanted out!
I left her in the pen and try to be up early, so I can let them all out again and avoid the fisty cuffs.
Hopefully I made the right choice - It is always so hard for one chicken to be introduced to the established ones, it always gets beaten up and hasn't got a friend to escape with. I feel really sorry for her...

ahh, poor little chicko

I am surprised about the how the other chickens pick on her.

I always thought all chickens got along.

anytime I added new chickens, the older ones never bothered.
but, maybe because I had more than one new one...

how is chicko doing now?

Chicko is accepted now - sort of. I watch her hang around with the others when they are outside the pen, but I still catch her sometimes in the pen next door. Also she doesn't sleep together with the other chickens yet. I've got one chicken which always pecks on Chicko, really chases her, but she is getting better too .
Whenever I introduce one chicken it is always worse than introducing two or more. Ahh, chickens are sooo tough!

bb,

so glad to hear chicko is being accepted.
why don't you get chicko a boyfriend

This way, she can start her own group of friends..

seriously, I think it will take time for one big happy family.
at least I hope so..

NO WAY!!!

I had a rooster stay over for a few days (until someone picked him up) and he drove me insane in this short period of time.

bb,

ahh, where is your sense of adventure

I have some roosters, they all seem to be fine and get along.

except I have one, that was a real goof. he would attack me all the time.
come up from behind me, and hit my leg. after a few kicks to him,
he finally got the message. this goofy rooster, would follow my male spanish turkey around, and pick a fight with him the turkey would chase him, fight with him, sit on him. but, the stupid rooster kept coming back for more

all the other roosters, mind their own business and I don't have any problems with them.

that's funny.
I do love the outgoing, tough personalities of roosters but I cannot handle the 3/4 o'clock wake-up call.
Mind you, two days ago Mr. Nasty (my gander) made such a racket it actually woke me up (at 4.30 am). That normally means there is a snake nearby so awake I am, finding the torch to inspect and what do I find??? Well, no snake anyway, and Mr Nasty just going off at fairies.
The ducks might have been fighting too, and he always edges them on, but hey not at that time of the day!!
I told him to shut up and few more other things and he must have realized it was a bad idea because I haven't heard a beep from him at all after that- even in the morning!

well, at least he has the potential of alarming you if there is a snake.

my roosters crow all day long so, at night, guess they are too tired to crow..

It really amazes me that roosters can do that and don't get a sore throat.