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

[xsoggyx]

Hi all,

 

I introduced 3 new girls to the exisiting 2 last night. After an hour they all went to bed happy. This morning I have noticed 1 has been pecked to the flesh on the back of her neck with blood everywhere.

 

At the moment I have taken her out and put her in a box. I will wash her and plan to send her back in and remove the naughty one to spend a day in the box.

 

Any other advice anyone can give me? Is there a way I can patch/plaster the exposed area?

[Egluntyne]

Oh dear.

 

Did you just pitch them in without getting them used to eachother first?

 

HAve a look at **these articles** which give tips about minimising trouble with introductions.

 

You need to get some separate accommodation for the injured hen as they will just go for her again.

 

Are her injuries bad enough to require the attention of a vet? Is there a gaping hole? Is it still bleeding?

 

If not, I would spray the wounds with Gentian Violet (purple) spray, which is mildly antiseptic.

 

If you put her back in with the others, they may still have a go at her, even if the baddie is not present. At least the gentian violet will disguise the wound a little.

Edited June 15, 2008 by Guest

[Gallina]

The wounds will heal better if you do not cover them up: I wouldn't have thought anything would stay on.

 

It can take up to three months for hens to be accepted into an established flock (some people are luckier). You won't be able to keep the box routine up, and as soon as they are together again it will get worse. And if there is any blood to be seen, the "good" hens will all start pecking her too.

 

If you only have one run, I would keep the injured hen in a box until the blood doesn't show, and then get a bumper bit on to the vicious hen before reintroducing her.

 

I would say to everyone getting new hens: buy a few bumper bits, just in case. When you need them desperately, you don't want to wait three or four days, which is the minimum it takes by mail order. They are only 10p each, and they provide a miracle cure. Until you have experienced cannibalism, you can't imagine how distressing it is, so be prepared.

[xsoggyx]

Thanks,

 

OI have created a mini run for the injured one (Sporty) and Ginger is in the "Cooler cell" for a day. Injuries here

 

 

Posh is just nagging at at Baby and Scary cant be botherd to come down.

 

Buper bits were firs ton my mind this morning so will be ordering them.

 

The new new girls (SPorty, Baby and Scary) are 14 weeks old where as the old birds (Ginger and Posh are about a year). I did explain this when I collected them and was advised to introduce at night then use the naughty box. I was concerned with the sizes but at the same time re-assured with the advice.

 

Moving forward I will create a temporary run beside the exisiting and see how it goes.

 

 

Picture WARNING !!!!!Image here www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=955322&l ... =714466586

[frenchlayer]

oww bless, what a shame.

 

I think you are doing the right thing keeping her seperate, having read the other threads, they are mean when there is a wound in sight, no pity, so don't give them the chance.

 

Hope she recovers soon.

[xsoggyx]

Is it me or do Omlet not sell the bumpers as I cant seem to find them,

 

Update:

All appears to be quiet on the western front at the momet with 1 in the Naughty box, 1 in the makeshift hospital and the others sulking at eachother.

[Egluntyne]

She needs to see a vet in my opinion xsoggyx.

 

That is a very nasty wound.

 

You were very badly advised by the breeder and s/he must bear some of the responsibility. 14 week olds are far too young to be put in with 18 month old hens, and the breeder shouldn't be saying otherwise.

 

I'd expect him/her to pay the vet's fees.

 

22 weeks is really the minimum age to be mixing hens with older ones.

 

Please, please arrange separate accommodation for the babies, aand leave them in it till they are big enough to stand up for themselves.

[hennymom]

Is it me or do Omlet not sell the bumpers as I cant seem to find them,

 

wernlas have bumper bits they cost 10p each if you send a stamped self addressed envelope to

 

WERNLAS

Green lane

Onibury

Craven arms

Shropshire

Sy7 9bl

 

with a note stating how many you require and send the equivalent amount in 1st class stamps they will be happy to send you some....(lolsays she who has just put the phone down from speaking to them, as having same trouble) and thanks to everyone on forum who gave advice...

[chelsea]

sorry to hear about your hen.

 

You must keep them seperate, if your older girls see the tiniest bit of blood from the wound they will keep pecking and pecking at the injured bird (and I dont want to scare you but some hens could be pecked to death) hens are attracted to blood and the colour red.

 

I agree with eglutine it looks quite bad so it might pay you to nip to the vets with her.

 

Purple spray is a good item to have in your "chicken cupboard" for pecking and wounds as its an antiseptic aswell, but for a large wound like yours it will take some time to heal.

 

let us know how she goes.

[Karen Pimlott]

dont put her back in until its completely healed as the others will peck to the death...long time since ive seen one as nasty as that.

but when you re introduce you may have same problems as it will take time to heal so the pecking order will be re astablished & the whole pecking thing will start again. it wont solve anything putting a naughty one in a box she may be more agressive when you lrt her out.

 

did you shut them in together last night? i always advise leave the door open so if they have a do when they wake they can get away from each other. its when they are in a small space and cant get away your problems start.

 

quite upsetting to see that injury really, hope shes ok.

 

karen

[xsoggyx]

The breeder was shocked to see and without question took her back to nurse back to health so should get her back in about 4 weeks.

 

I left them all together in the cube last night but the door was open so they had the run as well.

 

With Sporty now wih Bupa the others are just getting the normal pecking treatment with no exessive pecking. Again I was advised to keep the others all in together so I am really confused with the advice.

 

If tomorrow I start to see the same sort of injuries then I will go with the total sperate run/home and will order the bumpers which I can only agree is a must when introducing new birds.

 

I wanted to keep chickens to get me away from my IT techy lifestyle and today it certanly has. Dont we all love keeping chooks

[moomin]

If tomorrow I start to see the same sort of injuries then I will go with the total sperate run/home and will order the bumpers which I can only agree is a must when introducing new birds.

 

It may be too late by tomorrow. What if another of the 14 week old girls gets pecked?

 

I would keep them seperate until the new girls are older but they are your chickens you must do as you see fit.

[Egluntyne]

Please don't put the little ones back in with the older girls.

 

It will be asking for trouble.

 

You have received very poor advice from the breeder about integrating the chickens, and that awful injury is testament to that.

 

At least he has done the decent thing now.

 

14 week old chickens stand no chance againt fully grown ones and it would be a recipe for disaster to keep them together, especially in the light of what has happened.

[Cooks]

I agree with keeping them seperate. 14 weeks is very young. It's ok if they are all that age when you buy them but to add them to older more established hens is trouble.

 

I hope she recovers well, bless her little heart

[chickenlass]

I really wouldn't want to risk that happening to any of the other youngsters and would certainly remove all of them from the older chickens housing.

[Trapper]

xsoggyx

 

Sorry to hear about your terrible dilemma, I too have had the upsetting problem of cannibalistic chickens and it is no fun. My chocks injuries were similar but on her back, a visit to the vet and she had to have 3 courses of anti-biotic. We let here free range around our permanent run so the others could still see her. We only properly introduced her after one month (the time it took for the wound to heal). WE then sprayed her with Ukadex and touch wood no more problems. Her feathers are only just starting to be back to normal and that’s 3 months after the pecking started.

 

I know that you have sent the small one off to ‘BUPA’ as you say but I think you may have the same problem of reintroducing her when she comes back. She will seem like a new chicken again to the others. It may have been better to keep her and let her run around letting the other see her but living separately.

 

I’m sure others will have their own views, but this is what most seem to say.

[chelsea]

the trouble with such young chickens and bigger hens is that when they are enclosed in a run there is nowhere for the little ones to escape the pecking so in the end the new small hens become submissive and just sit there and let the older hens keep pecking them.

 

New and old hens are ok freeranging with supervision as there is plenty of room for them to escape and run away from the attacking hen.

 

keeping them seperate until they are all settled and got to know each other will be be the best idea, then the new girls will have grown and will have learnt to stick up for themselves and also got the idea that you have to run away to avoid being attacked!

[WitchHazel]

14 weeks is definitely far too young to introduce the girls. I know it's difficult when you're being told one thing by your breeder and the opposite by a load of henthusiastic "amateurs", but this time the amateurs are right. (You can always ask about it on other poultry forums and see what they say).

 

 

Please keep your youngsters separate until they are old enough to stand up for themselves.

 

I've bought two babies, and they are staying with the breeder until they are 14 weeks old. I've ordered an Eglu (I have a Cube) so they can have separate accomodation (but be withing sight of the others) for the 8 weeks or so until they will be big enough to try introducing the big girls.

 

 

 

 

 

(I told DH that we could sell it afterwards, as Eglus hold their value so well, but we'll probably keep it to use as a hospital/for introducing other hens later)

[MedusA]

I totally agree that the young birds should be kept separate until they are older.

 

When I bought my 16 and 14 week old Silkies from Wernlas, they told me categorically to keep them separate for at least another 4 weeks. We did this by putting the eglu and run inside the walk-in run and the introductions went much more easily. Even so there was still some pecking order disputes.

 

Your poor little hen didn't stand a chance. I agree the breeder was irresponsible to suggest they could be mixed so young and so soon.

[LJ's Chooks]

WE inadvertantly had a young chicken in with our new ones... she didn't make it... please take them out and keep them separate, even if you have to buy beg or borrow something to keep them in. I will never forgive myself for what happened to cloud, we were beginners, and learnt a very hard lesson.

 

If they are too young they will just get picked on.

[chelsea]

how is she today?

[xsoggyx]

Well I have to admit you Omletters were right all along. I could see that the remaining 2 were still being bullied so I have now taken them out and made another temprary run with some odd bits of wire here and there (My garden now looks like steptoes back yard). Wish I never sold my eglu so quick. The other one back with the breeder is doing fine and hope to get her back in the next 4-5 weeks.

 

The Breeder is still happy to take the remaing 2 back and did blame the Hybrids not being socialable.

 

My plan is to make a better second run and ensure there food and water is situated opposite sides of the Berlin Wall. I will alternate Free range days with an odd day in the future where they can all play football together on no mans land.

 

My Questions are:

1)How long should they be kept appart especailly with the new girls only 15 weeks old and the Omlet Girls about a year?

2) Free ranging when should I let them all out together?

3) When should I attempt to keep them all in the cube again?

[Egluntyne]

Please don't put the little ones in with the big girls until they are at least 22 weeks old and big enough to stand up for themselves.

 

At 15 weeks they are far to young to be put in with adult hens.

 

I have to say, with all due respect to you, that this breeder talks tosh, and so far his advice has been positively dangerous.

 

The hybrids aren't being "antisocial", they are displaying normal hen behaviour.

 

Please keep them separate, but where they can see and hear each other for at least seven or eight weeks, otherwise you might end up with another disaster on your hands.

 

Once they get to the magic age of 22 weeks, follow the advice **here** and things should go relatively smoothly.

[Gallina]

I would let them out together in a large area when the little ones are about 20 weeks old and see how it goes. If you have a net pen, you will find that the little ones automatically move away from the old ones into a corner. The old ones like to see this: it means that they are in charge, and don't need to take any action.

 

Confining them together 24/7 is a different matter. The little ones will get a lot bigger and braver when they start to lay, so that might be the time to try reintroducing them.

 

I got my last hens at 18 weeks, and it took about two months before they were big enough to stand up for themselves. I don't think it has to take as long as that for everyone, but I had two very different gangs of four.

 

The pecking order is still there: my minuscule Bluebelle (she was always undersized) was still able to boss about four girls all twice her size when she was limping with an injured leg. But the pecks are now just token pokes on the back of the neck to make sure they know their place: they have been accepted.

 

Please everyone: don't buy cute young pullets if you have no alternative accommodation; get hens which are already laying.

[The Dogmother]

I can only echo what has just been said - try to buy extra hens that are either POL or already laying, that way they will be assertive enough to stand up to the rigours of the oeckign order. That's unless you have separate accommodation for the newbies and are prepared to have two flocks for a couple of months.

 

We all live and learn, but it's best to take others' advice and learn from their experience if you can.