chocchick Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) We got a new chicken from a man in a van in Meadowhall car park today! I phoned to ask what chickens he had, and apparently he was dropping some Isa Warrens off in Sheffield, and the lady had one too many. Fate or what, I wanted ONE brown hybrid, and he was driving some to Sheffield! Little Beth is in the omlet run, while the others stalk round the outside screaming, and pecking at her. Had to leave her at home as I've already skiived two hours off work. Edited February 9, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Well done Chocchick you new chickens sounds lovely I am sure she will be fine once they get used to her.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Fate Chocchick! Good luck, hope all settles down soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 Well done Chocchick you new chickens sounds lovely I am sure she will be fine once they get used to her.............. I'm more worried about the other two-I've never heard such a racket from them, particularly Trinny who is lowest in the pecking order. Beth just looked really relaxed, maybe shell-shocked as John said. Will post photo tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Oooh! - I like fate! Sounds like it is going well - especially as you have them separated. A week of that and all should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myles Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I knew Meadowhall must be useful for something .Sounds great, pics please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 What a brilliant coincidence, simply had to be fate Trinny and Susannah will soon settle down and accept her, but there might be a bit of pecking and shouting in the short term. Good luck with it, and I hope that Beth soon gives you lots of lovely eggs...... and shames T&S into a bit of egg laying too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) I knew Meadowhall must be useful for something .Sounds great, pics please Was well dodgey meeting a man with a van in a car park though! My lab said no wonder my chickens don't lay eggs, the guy is a fraudster! Beth is already relatively confident, I felt OK picking her up, and she is silky soft with a really fluffy bum . She kept following me round the run and pecking at the bars, although wasn't interested in the treats I offered. I had a heart attack as couldn't find other two , thought they had flown away because of Beth and we had lost them forever, then realised they had gone to sleep in Beth's cardboard box (adorably cute ) and I lifted them through (open! silly chickens) eggport. I opened eglu door and Beth wandered in, and snuggled into them (sweetie ), pushing into them. Susannah just growled at her , then started pecking her a lot. I gave up, took Susannah out. Beth out then returned S to eglu. Will maybe leave it a while and try again when had longer to settle as did wake them to carry them to bed. On a plus side they are so easy to pick up at night! Edited February 10, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Beth less keen going to bed the second time, we left her in run and she eventually went in. Can't sleep thinking of a)how cute Beth is, and b)running over in my head opening the eglu door and watching them rip her to shreds, if they haven't already second image is Beth in pieces in eglu OH (and breeder) thinks we should just integrate them from now on and let them sort it out rather than prolonging it. We will be around to watch and rescue Beth. Does she need to stay in eglu run to learn that it is home, or will she just follow others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Chickens fairly calm, and not throwing themselves at food, or fighting. Trinny made a racket, Beth pecked her and she shut up. She may be in charge now I think. Beth is the most perfect chicken in the World! She laid an egg AND I saw her eat a slug, AND she let me pick her up, AND she is so soft and pretty! She IS in charge, she chased T and S round the garden, and she is terrorising them! S flew into a fence to escape! So much for worrying they'd hurt her, it's T and S I should be worried about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Beth sounds adorable. Given such a good start, and that you'll be around, you could just "go for it"....it'll be over quicker. I think the barrier intro is good, esp. if owners are off to work & leaving them in run. But, the quick intro, with an eye on them, works too. My daughter (10) saw your profile & really wants 2 more hens...just so we can call them Trinny & Susannah! Presumably Beth is confident with her attire & won't let them boss her! If you do let them get on with it, stick with the idea, as stop/start is worse. Try not to stand over them if they are fighting, it adds to it! Have plenty of food stations & they'll soon work it out. Hope it goes well at the w/e. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 They're not actually fighting.....! Beth occasionally pecks the others if provoked, but they are TERRIFIED of her and keep running away! It was comical the way they were running full speed and even flying at one point every time she approached. After a day of being left together in the pen T and S won't get close to Beth, and are moving away, but more sedately. They are wary of eating when she is nearby, so I suspect I will have to separate them for a while to let them eat. T and S were so cute as they ran forward when I opened the back door as usual and Susannah flew in the air slightly in a bid to get barley from my hand above them. Beth has started nibbling my shoelace which is cute, and is a lot easier to pick up. The whole thing is funny as Beth is smaller than either of them, and there are two of the others, yet she terrifies them. They are such cowards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 That's brilliant, what lovely chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Sounds just like my three hybrids - see my site. When i have read on other sorums about 'boring brown hybrids' I think that they van't possibly have had them. Mine are all brown - but look totally different with their feather colours and patterns, adn theri personalities are just so different. And each one of them is fluffy and friendly and lays eggs regularly. I am so glad you have discoverd the joys of owning one. Now you have the best of oth worlds! A brown one that will shoe up against the snow and be camouflaged against the autumn leaves, and white ones that show up against the soil and leaves, but are camouflaged against the snow. Perfick1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 Beth does look very similar to your chickens. I still don't understand how she is terrifying. She seems quite easy going, friendly and says boc boc boc a lot. I'm sure she is approaching them to make friends, they are such wusses! I don't see how you could want more from a chicken. Except egg 2 of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
