Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Woodcat]

hey

 

we recently got two new 12 week old girls. We got a new pen in the garden sorted out and water spray etc expecting there to be pecking through the bars etc but when we first let the new girls into their run our older ladies had what can only be described as full blown tantrums. They went up the garden away from the new girls screaming and diging and pecking the sheds and generally created havok. They then went round the garden completly ignoring the new girls to the point that they wouldn't come within 5 feet of the new run even for their favorite treat.

 

 

When we draged them down to the run and fed them all corn they attacked us! We now have to compel the chicken into meeting each other as our new girls still completly ignore the others existence. when we do one of them attacks them and us and the other only attacks when they have food. I'm loath to simply sling them all together simply because one of the new girls is tiny.

 

 

Any advice would be useful

thanks

[Guest]

You must wait until the little ones are 20 weeks old before mixing the two groups. They are just too small to cope before then and will end up traumatised or injured.

 

Don't worry too much about the behaviour of the others. They'll get used to it and sort themselves out.

[Woodcat]

Why as long as 20 weeks?that is much later than they are usually sold?

[Egluntyne]

Why not have a peek at **these articles** about managing introductions.

[Woodcat]

Hi

 

thanks, i'd read pretty much everything anyone had written on forum before we got them hoping to be fully prepared. My problem is that my existing girls aren't behaving as they're 'suppsed' to.

 

they 'won't' free rage around the new girls pen. If I try to scatter treats around the pen they either attack me or hide in the green house and when I let the new girls out so they can free range together the old girls vanished into the pear tree screaming abuse and refused to come out.

[Egluntyne]

Perhaps if you just give it a little mote time they will settle down.

 

My first go at intros was fairly traumatic....with lots of snapping, snarling, bok bokking etc around the incomers accommodation.

 

When that had settled I started the shared treats stage and things went reasonably well after that.

[Woodcat]

My first go at intros was fairly traumatic....with lots of snapping, snarling, bok bokking etc around the incomers accommodation.

 

That I could deal with. its their total refusing to acknowledge that any part of the garden that contains new chickens exists that confusing me.

 

Everyone was out for an early evening range tonight. The new ladies loved it. the old ones were fine until I let the new ladies out, then the old ones both vanished into the hen house and refused to come out again.

[abwsco]

Sounds like your oldies are having mega sulks! Mine were the opposite when we got newbies and were soooooooooo noisey it was dreadful. Also, I got 12 week old girls and was told not to let them mix together until the new ones were a similar size to the oldies. So far we've had two gos of free ranging together this week and we've had feather pulling, pecking, chasing and squaring up. None of the odd behaviour like yours have done though

[Guest]

Why as long as 20 weeks?that is much later than they are usually sold?

 

Purely because they are not big enough or mature enough to cope. Once they start laying (about 20 weeks, hence maturity at that age) their characters change slightly making them more confident but also more submissive.

 

When I got my second group of hens I had had the first 3 for 2 years. They behaved much like yours, hiding under a rose bush facing the wall. They were very noisy too. I think part of the problem was the 2 years - they didn't know there WERE any other hens in the world!

 

We had quite a hard time introducing the 2 groups and the quiet one of the old set became the most aggressive and ended up wearing a bumper bit. The new set were I think very frightened and have remained timid and difficult to hold.

 

Since then I have introduced two more sets much more successfully.

 

Think of your little girls as very young children. They need looking after and protecting until they are big enough to take on the world. Don't throw them to the lions!