Chicken drama continues unabated around here. We brought the young girls home the other day, despite the new coop not being done, because possums got a couple more at our friends' house 😞 So they've been in a large rabbit cage under the small coop, same as we did with Benny*, so everybody can get used to each other with minimal injury.
The rooster immediately went, oh, ladies who won't run me off? Ok I'm with y'all. The older hens were totally disinterested in the young ones. Then today we let them out, and shit went down. Young ladies don't want to leave the coop run, since it's all they've known here so far. Benny starts biting young birds and has to be run off with a broom repeatedly - do you like them or not, dude? Then the gold girl stops by the coop to lay her egg, and on the way out decides to beat up some babies, too. I had to corner her with the broom, pick her up, & toss her away! I was surprised since she's usually so docile/seemingly empty-headed. Young ladies are occasionally attacking each other. It's wild out there.
Late in the afternoon, the young ones did leave the coop run some, and checked out some of the yard. Special chicken hasn't caused any problems, and in fact is tolerating Benny better. But she has a lot of Opinions, and aired them loudly all day. Ralph initially wouldn't let anyone else in the coop tonight, but eventually they all went in the little run, and J shut that door. We checked back an hour ago, and all birds had gone in the coop to sleep, thank the gods. They're all about as far away from Ralph as they can get, though 😄
Hopeful that tomorrow goes better. I know they've got a whole new social structure to invent, I'm just trying to keep anyone from getting hurt/traumatized. All while also teaching my herding dog that yes, "don't herd the chickens unless I ask you to" rules DO apply to all the new chickens as well.
*J named the rooster Benny. It's a conceptual mashup of 'Benny and the Jets' with the Jets from 'Westside Story', since we figured he'll be leading the gang. J says it's short for Benvolio, or Benjamin. I say Benito.