CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) My new Bluebelle, who is seriously huge, she is bigger than my Brahma! A Calder Ranger A Cucoko Maran A Black Araucana And A Bantam Frizzle Poland, who is truely adorable It was dark when I got home with them yesterday and I haddent let the old girls into the new run, so they were saoking wet and trying to roost under the BBQ. SO I poped all of them into the cube together and let them out into thte new run togetehr this morning. That way its new to all of them. So far their has been very little skirmish, just the usual establishing pecking order, plus they are all to busy discovering the grass under the Hemcore and all all happily scratching around minding their own. At this stage Im guessing the top of the pecking order will be either My White Star Dippy or the giant Bluebelle Im very much now looking for ideas for names please! Edited January 23, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 How lovely they are. What an interesting assortment. Names!!?? Where to start. This should be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Aww, they are gorgeous girls! LOVE the araucana - she is a stunner, lovely feathering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 Aww, they are gorgeous girls! LOVE the araucana - she is a stunner, lovely feathering! The pic really doesnt do her justice, she is like petrol coloured really profuse feathering with green and purple to it. They must be settling in well, as the Bluebelle and Dot my Columbine just shared the nesting box together and laid me a couple of eggs! I think the Bluebelle is top as I have been watching them loads and she is the only one the White Star Dippy is not having the odd pop at. altyhough she appears to have a little blood on her comb Everyone else intact but will be watching them closely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I love the Poland! They are so crazy looking - hope she can stand up for herself against all those big'uns. They all look lovely though, but the Poland is my favourite, they look mad anyway let alone when they are the frizzled variety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire B Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 They all look lovely. Glad the introductions are going well. I really want to get some more chickens but was dreading the introductions but you have given me hope that it will be alright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 I love the Poland! They are so crazy looking - hope she can stand up for herself against all those big'uns. They all look lovely though, but the Poland is my favourite, they look mad anyway let alone when they are the frizzled variety Yeah I was a bit concerned with getting her as she is a liable target, but interestingly of all the new girls she seems to have been picked on the least. she had one little squaring off with Plucky the Wyandotte, ogther than that she has kjust been ignored by all the others. Perhaps cause she is so tiny she isnt seen as a threat by the others, and they have enough other distractions than to pick on her crest. Hopefully it will stay that way. If not at least their are seval nooks and cranies in the run that only she can fit into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 They are gorgeous - you lucky thing! I especially love the Poland,who looks like a Lulu to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 They all look lovely. Glad the introductions are going well. I really want to get some more chickens but was dreading the introductions but you have given me hope that it will be alright I think the intros have only gone this weel, as the number I have added is the same as the number I had, so they are not outnumbered by existing girls, they are all in the new run at the same time, so existing girls cant be teritorial, and their is a lot of space, hidy holes and distractions. Im sure if I had just tried to introduce 2 in the existing standard cube run it would have been carnage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beauty-Box Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 They are beautiful chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 Oh dear it would seem I have spoken too soon. My two existing hybrids have started really laying into the poland and have been ripping feathers from her Its Dot who keeps starting it but then dippy joins in, iots those two who were picking on my Brahmas knickers before too. considering hybrids are ment to be friendly they are all the most aggressive of mine. If things dont pick up rather soon, I will have to take the poland back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Oh no! Can you let the most aggressive ones out to free range for a while, and leave the poland in with the less aggressive ones? I did that with mine so they only had a short time together each day but gradually increasing. Then they all went to bed together at night. Might help a bit until things calm down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 I dont know it would make any difference to be fair. I dont think they are picking on her for being new, but cause she is small and funny looking. Im sitting in the beanbag by the patio doors watching them with my laptop so I can fully see everything. I knew it was going to be very chancy with her being so small and with such fancy feathering, but if it is going to be a problem I would rather know today or tommorrow than trying to seperate them for a few days, as this way if I do have to swap her I can do it while the others are all pretty new too so the swaped one isnt coming into an established group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I was just envying you your smooth transition when I read your last post. I collected my new girls on Friday and one of my placid old hybrids has turned into the chicken from hell! She particularly picks on my new bluebelle, who is much bigger than she is. Never having integrated new ones before, I don't know how much aggression is normal. Is there somewhere separate you could keep your little one till they get used to one another? It would be such a shame if you had to send her back. Good luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 P.S. Forgot to say how gorgeous your new girls are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryl Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 omg, where does one get such exotic hens? we are in london they are beautifullllllllllllll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I have had two Hylines ( Poppy and Daisy) for about 18 months now and two days ago got two lovely Cuckoo Marans( Big Vera and Little Vera), to begin with things seemed to be going OK but this afternoon I checked them and poor little Poppy has bruised wattles and blood down the side of her face, the inside of the Eglu also seems to have a spray of blood. The new girls have their own home made hen house after they were not allowed into the Eglu on the first night. Luckliy the Eglu and the new house are all within a 35 foot run anyway so it is easy enough to keep them apart for a while but it seems a shame as it seemed to be going so well. Even got two dark brown eggs the first morning! I have shut Poppy and Daisy into the eglu run to let things calm down a bit but wonder if I am just going to have to put up with the fighting for a while. Funnily enough it was the old hens that were doing all the chasing and pecking and I obviously missed the Big Fight. Any tips most welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 omg, where does one get such exotic hens? we are in london they are beautifullllllllllllll The Hen house in Thorndon Eye, google and you will find their website. Not to far from you as they are Ipswich way so just down the A12. Pointless trivia too if you look in Jamie 'At Home' cook book their is a pic of his great big chicken house, it was built by them. Jillus, my new girls are getting a bit chased, but I have too feeding bowls for them so they dont get left out, and also the perches have been great as they dont seem to go for eatch other on them, and they can just get out of each others way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Wow!! they're drop dead Gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I am seriously scared about when I go to this Chicken Place Cat. I think I'll set the limit at 2, then I can't come out with too many! I will wait, I will wait, I will wait, i will wait (is that convincing enough!) Hope it settles down with the Poland. It's a long way from Norwich - just looked at the map - was going to suggest you came round for a cup of tea, but that would be a ridiculously long detour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Well The Poland is going back tomorrow Again today she has been targeted by my two existing hybrids and its not fair on her. I just spoke to the breeded and will be taking her back tomorrow and swapping her for something else. Very sad as she is such an adorable little girl its just she really is to small to fend for herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 After a disastrous first day when we literally had a blood bath, things have calmed down, there are the occasional short sharp attacks but only lunging at the new hens by Poppy and Daisy, but no serious pecking. In fact they seem to be ignoring the new girls most of the time, still got them in separate houses for the nights so they can all get some peace as it was inside the Eglu that the attack took place. Not sure when to put them all in together at night. It is a shame about your beautiful Poland, could you not give them a wee bit longer or is it just too awful to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 After a disastrous first day when we literally had a blood bath, things have calmed down, there are the occasional short sharp attacks but only lunging at the new hens by Poppy and Daisy, but no serious pecking. In fact they seem to be ignoring the new girls most of the time, still got them in separate houses for the nights so they can all get some peace as it was inside the Eglu that the attack took place. Not sure when to put them all in together at night. It is a shame about your beautiful Poland, could you not give them a wee bit longer or is it just too awful to watch. Thing is its not fair on her, she is going to get depressed. I have to pop her in the house at night as she is just trying to roost in the corner of the run. Also its better that I swap her and try to introduce a new one while the others are pretty new, if I left it longer I would be trying to introduce one chicken to an established 9! She is going back this afternoon, not sure what I will be coming home with yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 Well I dropped off the Poland But I now have a silkie, hoping she doesnt have the same problems,the unfortunate thing is that the other new girls seem to have now settled in pretty well. So she is a bit of a new girl on her own. So Far its just the Calder Ranger and Jasmine that have had a little pop but she is managing okay so far. The rest have gone to bed and she has flown up into a perch in the run to roost. So I will pop her in with the others shortly and see how she goes tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
