Liam Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hi, Well, i got my first ever chickens yesterday, so the purple eglu is no longer empty, hooray!! I have a Copper Black (like a Miss Pepperpot, but lays chocolate brown eggs), a light sussex, and an Amber Star / Sweetie who is cream all over. They're lovelt, and seem really tame, I can open the run door and stroke them and they don't mind at all! Just a few observations, I wonder if anyone can give me their thoughts please? I had been anticipating some fighting as they establish a pecking order.. but they have been really nice all day with not a problem. I did see the Copper Black and White Sussex square up to each otheronce, but then they just carried on eating layers pelletts without even a peck. I gave them sweetcorn this afternoon and they shared it amongst themselves in a very friendly, sociable manner. What's going on? Am I just lucky that I have the friendliest chooks ever, or can I expect relations to deterioate before it improves? I kept my (docile, soft as) cat in the house this morning, when I let him out he ran straight to the chickens, tail all excited - then appeared to run away frightened, over the fence, and I had to coax him back with food. Can he really be scared of the chickens, I was expecting him to have a go? Also, I have done as all men should and "watered" round the eglu tonight (after dark!!). However, the cat now keeps hanging round the eglu, where the deed was done, even though the girls are shut away for the night. The cat loves me to bits - do you think he can smell me near the eglu, or will it be the chcikens and he wants a go at them?? I understand that you will want pictures!! Dont have a digital camera (firm believer in 35mm!) but will borrow my mates camera tomorrow to provide the necessary pics!! Thanks all, this forum has been really useful in getting all set for the arrival of the ladies!! Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hello Liam and congratulations on getting your new girls. I had no pecking order 'fights' when my girls first arrived. So I suppose you are lucky too! I don't have cats but from what I have read, chickens can hold their own against cats. A quick peck on the nose and the cat will start running Maybe your 'sprinkling' is a new scent to your cat (I hope so ) and he was interested in the smell? Looking forward to the pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Congratulations Liam. You may get away with few skirmishes. It doesn't always follow that they will fight.....there may be just the odd peck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hi Liam Glad to hear your girls are getting on. My 3 did too (although they came from the same farm so "knew" each other already ). We had a few stretched neck squaring up sessions at the beginning but no actual skirmishes. They seem to be the best of friends . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 All my three seem buddies with no particular pcking order really yet though Amber seems a bit more confident she doesnt have a go at the other two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Hi Liam, and welcome to the forum! Look forward to seeing pics of your girls If all your chickens are new to the eglu, they will probably be too wary of their new surroundings for a while to worry about a pecking order - it tends to be a lot worse introducing new chickens to a group of established residents. There may be a few squabbles once they find their feet, but probably nothing very violent since they will have become accustomed to one another's presence. No surprises on the cat front! Remember that a full-sized chicken is quite a bit taller than a cat, and of course the cat doesn't know that the chicken is probably barely half the cat's weight thanks to its hollow bones and lightweight feathers. My younger cats used to play at stalking the chickens, but would soon back off once the girls turned that dinosaur stare on them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Congratulations on getting your chooks! If they are all new together, and if they came from the same farm, then it probably won't be too difficult for them to work out who's Top Chicken, so you may not get any pecking. It's more of a problem when there's an established order and you are introducing new ones. Yes, your cat is almost certainly terrified of the chickens for the reasons given above - mine gives them a wide berth when they are free-ranging. He likes to sit and watch them in the run however. Your cat is probably just investigating the new smells and sounds around the Eglu - he'll know the chickens are in there even though they are shut up for the night. Enjoy your chickens, bet you can't wait to get up this morning to let them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 My younger cat was walking up the garden to see me to let him indoors yesterday and totally missed the fact that the chickens were out lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Welcome, Liam. I hope you get lots of enjoyment and entertainment from your girls, as well as lovely eggs, of course! You may be lucky. If your girls knew each other previously, they may not squabble much. My first two Omlet girls sorted themselves out very quickly. New introductions are a totally different kettle of fish though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted March 23, 2008 Author Share Posted March 23, 2008 Thanks everyone, it's put my mind at rest! Two of them had a brief go at each other this morning, but it was over almsot immediately, and I dont think there was even any actual pecking. They are from the same place but were in seperate pens with other hybrids the same, so they are new to each other - as you all say, probably just more concerned with new surroundings than establishing who's boss! Loving this chciken ownership thing, I could watch them all day! My mates think I`ve gone bonkers but I dont care, they're great! Let them out at half six this morning in the snow and they were very funny, didnt know quite what this white stuff was. I keep taking them other bits to eat, I must stop this - they've had porridge, tomato, cucumber, sweetcorn already today, and I`m already planning on spaghetti for tomorrow aas it sounds like fun!! Oh and Tully (the cat) has been outside watching them all day today, ut he doesn't actually dare get within about 10 feet of the eglu today...!! Thanks for all your responses. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...