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

[n2hec]

I would like to say a big thank you to all those on the forum who offer such excellent advice - especially on introductions. Having had the Golden Girls for 10 weeks and my new girls for 4 weeks I can say that, apart from chasing and the telling off pecks expected, things have gone very well.

 

Following Egluntine and Claret's advice, I kept them separate for about 10 days, then free ranging together for a few days, reducing the area to the netted section, and finally at week 3, all in the run together. Now another week down the line, peace seems to have been declared.

 

All are laying and so settled that all 6 have tried to sleep in one eglu 3 times this week! I have to take the 3 new ones out and put them in their own - 6 hens in one eglu is rather a squeeze - especially as one of the new girls is HUGE!!

 

Thanks again for all your help

[The Dogmother]

Glad to hear that it went well Hazel Well done

[alih]

am following the same pattern with mine so it's great to hear a success story! Long may the peace last!

[Egluntyne]

Thanks for that Hazel.

 

Good to hear that it went well.

 

Am about to take my own advice I have just been over to Cawthorne to **Raw Green Cottages** to buy three new hens.

 

Allegedly for Him Indoors' birthday on Sunday

 

I have bought an Amber Link and 2 Blue Rangers. (Very similar to Bluebelles)

 

Also on order, 2 Fenton Blues, which should lay blue/green eggs.

 

Raw Green Cottages is a small set up (about to increase slightly), run by lovely people. I met Jody and her Mum. Very enthusiastic and devoted to their hens.

 

Can recommend.

 

Will post pics as soon as YS comes home with my camera.

Edited June 27, 2008 by Guest

[LisaP]

Congratulations n2hec.

 

We also have a Silver Nova and an Amber Nova that we got a couple of months ago to join our original 2 Omlet girls and we too followed to excellent advice on here

 

We got a cheaper wooden house with run to use for the introductory period, keeping them separate but within view for a couple of weeks and then let them free range together. Then after only a couple of nights we found all 4 had gone into the eglu together

 

Lisa P

[The Dogmother]

That supplier looks lovely Egluntine,and the chooks sound gorgeous.

 

Have you emaild the stockist details to Barbara? She likes personal recommendations.

[Egluntyne]

That supplier looks lovely Egluntine,and the chooks sound gorgeous.

 

Have you emaild the stockist details to Barbara? She likes personal recommendations.

 

No I haven't. Will do though.

[alih]

have been letting my girls free range together this week - all fairly harmonious apart from the odd rush peck. Tonight I decided to let them put themselves to bed wherever they wanted, hoping they would all snuggle in together - but no, have just been out and they have gone to their respective houses and are snugged in tight - wondering whether the merging at night will just happen if I keep letting them put selves to bed or whether I need to remove the rabbit hutch and force them to settle togther - any views?

[The Dogmother]

Give it a bit longer, then remove the hutch. You might get a bit of pecking at bedtime because they have a hierarchy for going to bed - they like to go in the eglu in a certain order.

[Angels4]

I wonder what would happen if you took them out of the rabbit hutch at night (when they are sleepy) and put them in the eglu through the egg port (so they wake up there) and remove the rabbit hutch

[alih]

thank guys, very reassuring, as ever - will probably combine your suggestions and leave it till next weekend and remove the hutch then, having popped the bruisers in for a couple of days just to check they can cope with sleepin together - at least thehutch will still be there for emergencies if not.