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Boris70

What to do....

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Hello,

 

I got 2 new hybrids - 16 weeks old on the 23rd May. They've been safely housed in my blue eglu with run while my original 6 girls were in the large pen for the past week.

 

I've let the new girls out into the new pen, and things haven't exactly gone smoothly. The new girls seem quite happy, they are currently on top of the eglu run, and spent most of yesterday there too - because as soon as they go on the floor - the old girls attack them- obvisously trying to sort out the pecking order.

 

They went to bed last night in the cube with everyone else - of there own accord - but today they are still on top of the eglu run.

 

I know these things take a while to settle down - but I'm getting a bit worried that they be getting hungry - as all of the food is on the floor level (I did try putting some food on top of the run for them - but the the old girls flew up there and started pecking them and knocked it off).

 

My question is - should I just leave them all to it - they'll come down when they are hungry - surely? or do I catch them and give them an hour or so in the safety of the run - before letting them out again to run the gauntlet of the old girls?

 

(When I've introduced new girls before it had settled down a lot quicker than this)

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They are a bit young to be thrust into the lion's den just yet.

 

I would leave it until they are at point of lay in maybe a month to 6 weeks time, and are bigger and are more able to stand up for themselves.

 

I would keep the Eglus close to each other and let them all see, hear and smell each other.

 

Good luck.

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I thought as all of the attacking through the run bars had stopped they'd be ok - and they are 18 weeks tomorrow.

 

I've relented - I've just caught them both and shut them in the run at the moment - they both looked very upset at being shut in, but then went straight for the food and water.

 

I feel a bit happier for them now.

 

It's really strange, but the ex-batts which are 1 and 2 in the pecking order don;t care about them at all, it's the pekin, and the 3 hybrids who are down the bottom that are worried!

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Right,

 

I have tried my girls in again together - they are now 19.5 weeks old, and still no joy.

 

They've been out freeranging in the garden, and there a couple of squabbles when one of the old girls sees them for the first them, then harmony BUT it's a completely different story in the run. The new girls just fly up on top of the run, and stay there.

 

I have ample food containers - 3 in there on completely different sides of the run.

 

Do you think it's time to let them go it alone (remove the run)?

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yes wait till there a bit older.

 

when introducing new girls try & intergrate the same number or more newies so the exisitng birds are less likely to gang up on them and they are out numbered also birds of similar ages are best....

 

i have read many posts on here about problems when new introductions have taken place, i can honestly say we have never had any problems when introducing new birds, of all ages size and type..... :think:

 

K

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Last year someone on here introduced the new ones by letting the older chooks out of her big run to free range, putting the new ones in the run and throughout the afternoon gradually adding her older ones....it sounded like she had some success....

 

I could have this wrong I was fairly new at the time and stored it away in my head as 'way to do it if I have more'

 

Apologies if I have.. :oops:

 

In fact I think it was Snowy and her fabulous run and chooks :)

 

Helen

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i have read many posts on here about problems when new introductions have taken place, i can honestly say we have never had any problems when introducing new birds, of all ages size and type..... :think:

 

K

 

I've never had any problems before either - I've mixed wyandottes with pekins, ex batts with pekins, hybrids with pekins and ex-batts and all have got on famously after the odd peck that lasted a day.

 

This just seems different - the new girls just seem very frightened (I can't blame them), and rather than fight back they just submit, but even then the old girls don't leave them alone unless they are all out freeranging, then there is harmony after a few pecks - but as soon as they are in the run again - the newbies are on top of the run.

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Hi Boris,

Your situation sounds very similar to mine as I added two to nine a few weeks ago. They were all in together from the start, but the new girls seemed to spend a lot of time perched up out of the way. I just let them get on with it, but made sure they were able to come down for food by letting the older ones out to free range (and yes, I let a few of the older girls back into the run to let them mix :lol: ). It did take about three weeks, but they are now down from their perches and mixing in like old hands.

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I have harmony!!!!!

 

I took the run out on Saturday, decided they had to fend for themselves as the pecking was never really nasty, they were just wimps and hid all the time.

 

So - run was removed with all the girls out to freerange, and a few odd pecks is all we have had since then.

 

I glad I used my instincts as when do all seem happy now - oh and I've had my first egg from Pollo (i think) already!

 

Thanks for all the advice,

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