4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[HENthusiastic]

HI.

I've got 3 hens and 3 new rescue hens (last Saturday). My 3 original hens live in a big coop and have access to my garden for a good few hours most days and weekends. The rescue girls are living in a small coop in the middle of the garden. When the original girls are freeranging, all girls can see and peck at each other through the wire of the rescue girls coop.

What I'm worried about is Henrietta is broody at the moment. Ive been putting ice packs under her, turfing her out of the nest etc but nothing seems to be working.

Henrietta seems quite aggressive towards the rescue girls, she opens her wings out and kind of growls at them. I want their integration to be as painless as possible but I'm worried that Henrietta will be extra agressive because she is broody and thinks she is protecting her chicks???

Or am I just being daft?

Getting worried because I'm going away for the week in 5 weeks time and want them to all be integrated and happy together before I leave them.

Do I have to work harder to try to get Henrietta to stop being Broody? Or isnt this a problem at all?

Sorry this post is a bit long, I'm just getting a bit anxious about it.

[clucking mad]

i woud just leave them be for a few more weeks until they ge properly settled in and henretta will probs just get used to it

[Tina C]

The broody girl is probably being extra aggressive because she is protecting her 'babies'.

 

However, you may want to consider leaving the introductions until after your holiday - otherwise things may not have settled down by the time you go away and it may be a bit unfair on your chicken-sitter to have to deal with problems?

 

The ex-batts will need a bit of time to grow their feathers and get the strength to cope with living with their new friends anyway.

[Christian]

Have you tried dunking her in cool water? It made Babs snap out of it pretty quickly!

[HENthusiastic]

Thanks for all your replys. Christian, I know this sounds daft but is she going to hate me if i dunk her?? She is the most standoffish of my hens and Ive been trying hard to get her used to me. Cant help thinking that if I make her suffer that indignity that she will hold it against me forever!! I suppose if things arent going well I could leave them separate until after the holiday. I just long to get them into a bigger space asap. But I suppose they've got loads more room now than they ever have before. How long does it usually take for a hen to stop being broody. She has been broody for about a week so far.

[Egluntyne]

You could try puting her in a broody cage. She will be in sight of the others, and it should snap her out of it within a few days.

[TAJ]

I thought it was recommended to keep ex bats separate for about a month, so they are stronger before the integration? If broody (supposedly) it should not last over 21 days as that is the normal length of time to hatch eggs.

 

If going on holiday in 5 weeks it would seem sensible to do the introductions when you come back.

 

Tracy

[HENthusiastic]

Thanks for your replys. I think strength wise, it will be okay to integrate the ex bats before a month, because aparently compared to a lot of ex battery girls, mine were in quite good condition and quite 'fiesty'. I think I will continue trying to get Henrietta to stop being broody...... do some gradual integration (let them all freerange divided by a net) and make an extension for the rescue girls coop. That way I am keeping all my options open. If the girls arent integrated and settled before the holiday, they will have a bigger space to be in. (we do have a very experienced chicken sitter).

How exactly do you dunk a chook in water? Are you supposed to hold them in it for any length of time or just a quick in out? Are you supposed to put them all in it? Or just their bum and tummy?

Dont relish the idea. Good to hear it shouldnt last more than 3 weeks though.

 

Eglutine; I will look into broody cage too. Sounds a bit sad though like putting her in a cold hard prison cell!