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

[princess]

Hi guys.

 

One of our chickens died on sat and our remaining chicken was just so lonely and sad that on sunday we purchased two more 15 week old chicks.

 

We have managed to errect a bamboo fence in the middle of the eglu run so our lilly has the eglu side with water and food so she can lay and our new two have the end by the door with water food and a cat box for shelter and rest etc. They can see each other amd are very curious but when they get too close lilly bites through the bamboo if in the run and through the eglu run if she is free ranging which is understandable as a pecking order will have to happen.

 

What I am upset about is that none of my other chickens have ever pecked or hurt another one and that lilly is still on her own but she seems so much perkier since the new arrivals. Will this go on forever. Also we have a cat box (quite big) that we have put wooden nest bars in so that the two new girls can rest during the day. At night in the dark we transfer the new girls from the cat box (where they fo to rest) into the eglu, they are all dozy and perch next to eachother in apparent harmony. They rest well together with no biting or noise! (spent half the first night sat outside!) We then wake up and seperate them at 5.30! My question is should I keep doing this (I am finding it quite stressful) or should I let the two new girls sleep in the cat box inside the run and not rush things? They settle in it well but I thought them sleeping together would help the bonding.

 

Also my partner is on nights as of friday and it is a bit of a two man job! Idealy we would have another run and hen house but time didn't allow it.

 

One more question our new girls have short top beaks. They seem to struggle eating things quickly whether it is because they are new and timid but I feel lilly will walk all over them with her new found attitude!

 

Thanks in advance guys

 

P x

[Hen Watch]

Have you seen this post on the forum?

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25886

 

When I introduced 1 new hen the nastiness when on for a while and I had to separate them during the day (but slept tog at night). It did resolve itself but it wasn't pleasant to watch.

[Sandychick]

I'm not the most experienced chicken keeper but I introduced a 15 week hen to the other 2 a couple of weeks ago. I let them free range together in the day (very supervised to start with). I found that this gave them space to get out of each others way when the pecking started. Really difficult not to intervene but best to let them sort it out if it's not too nasty. Willow (new hen) lost a feather or two, but nothing worse than that. I kept Willow seperate at night in a pen in the shed. Once they were getting on ok I put them together at night and like you, was there early to prevent any problems.

 

Need to be very careful though when they are in the run together, as some horror stories on here have proved.

 

It does look like they will never get on to start with, but this is a picture of mine after 1 week.........

 

[Egluntyne]

15 week old chicks are too young to be introduced to an adult really.

 

Separate accommodation and a cautious approach as described in the articles is the best way.

[princess]

Thank you so much for replys. Your willow is the same colour as one of our new chicks. ;Angel (our white chick) seems to get the brunt of the pecks, but it has only been two days, Is this because we have never had a white chicken before? Our new black chicken seems to be left alone but lilly has had a black friend before. I just want them all to be happy. We did do the right thing getting company for lilly didn't we?

 

Can I just confirm. Would you put them together at night or shall we keep the new two on their own in the cat box and bring them into the house overnight?

 

Thanks guys your help is so appreciated as there is so much advice on the net all of it seems to be conflicting!

[alih]

I would sleep them separately to start with, but opinions and experiences will vary. My 2 newbies were 18 weeks when i got them and my oldies were 1 year. I was a real wuss about the intros so did it very slowly - they slept separately and were kept separate ( 2 in the run, 2 ranging around it) for a week or so, then let them free range together under supervision for another week or so, still sleeping separately, and finally when they began to be a bit more harmonious, let them sleep together. It took about 3 weeks in all for them not to be attacking the little ones, though they still peck them if there is a whiff of food around. It's not nice to see but i would advise the slower the better, especially as your babies are very young.

[princess]

Yes that sounds like good advice. Do you thing they will be ok in a pimped up cat box to sleep in. It is new, we have put wooden bars in it like the eglu with shreded paper underneath. I will bring them into the house as I know the eglu is fox friendly but I would feel nervous with the cat box in the run i think.

[alih]

If the cat box is inside the foxproof run they will be fine. Mine slept in a rabbit hutch inside the netted off bit but not inside the run and they were fine, but if you're worried, bring them inside, otherwise you'll get no sleep!