Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[WitchHazel]

You may be aware that I've been integrating my two Littlees with my two Bigees for the past few weeks. I took a slowly slowly approach, and it's taken 11 weeks to get to where I am today.

 

12 days ago, we started putting the Littlees in with the Bigees at night; on the third night they went into the Cube of their own accord and so we removed the Eglu completely. We then spent the next week getting the Run back to normality, changing one thing each day.

 

They have all been free ranging together for weeks now. Despite them all sleeping in the Cube, there is still some bullying going on. I'm not too worried about the Bullying that takes place when food or treats are around, but there is still some in their normal day to day interactions. I know it'll take maybe three weeks from when we got them all together in the Cube, so I'm only a little bit worried.

 

My real concern is that the Littlees sleep in the Nestbox, while the Bigees sleep on the roosting bars. A few nights ago we tried physically moving the Littlees from the estbox onto the bars when it was dark, but as soon as we did so, Scarlett (not normally the initiator) actually started to peck Jasmine, and I moved the Bigees out of the way so the Littlees could get back in the nestbox.

 

I think this continued nighttime separation is contributing to the failure to bond as a flock when free ranging.

 

I was hoping it would settle of its own accord, but I don't think it will. I was thinking about blocking up the nestbox so the Littlees can't get in, but I'm concerned that this will distress them, and annoy the Bigees.

 

So I was wondering whether to temporarily remove the nestbox divider. This would mean the Littlees would still sleep in the nestbox area, the Bigees would be on the bars, but they would all be in the same "room". I would then progress from there to moving the Littlees on to the Roosting bars when it's dark.

 

Those of you who've managed integration problems, can you see issues with this approach?

 

Thanks for reading.

[chelsea]

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So I was wondering whether to temporarily remove the nestbox divider. This would mean the Littlees would still sleep in the nestbox area, the Bigees would be on the bars, but they would all be in the same "room". I would then progress from there to moving the Littlees on to the Roosting bars when it's dark.

 

 

 

Thanks for reading.

 

I would do the above, its a good idea because if you blocked off the nest area completely the little'uns wouldnt have the room to escape in the event of an attack, like you say removing the divider would help with the bonding of the flock but still give the new girls their own safe area.

 

Well done you on taking your time and being gradual, I really think it pays off when having new girls.

[sheik]

Is it good and dark when you've tried moving them? We have a similar problem to you, but ours don't fight in darkness (but we have to wake up at dawn to separate them ).

 

/\dam

[WitchHazel]

Thanks very much for your replies Chelsea and Sheik.

 

I took the partition out yesterday afternoon. There was a bit of a kerfuffle at beddtime. The Littlees went to bed first; when the Bigees climbed the steps they were presumably not to pleased about the arrrangment, as they came out again whinging. Then the Littlees got up.

 

However, I ignored them, and they all went to bed eventually. I peeped in at about 10pm to see the Littlees on the nestbox, and the Bigees spreading themselves out (almost pancaking) over the roosting bars.

 

Checked everyone over this morning, and no signs of injury.

 

I'll leave it as it is for the next couple of nights to make sire they are all still happy about going to bed, and if the LIttlees are still in the nesting box I'll try transplanting them again. It's possible it wasn't pitch black when I tried before, so I will wait until just before I go to bed before I do it.

 

Thanks for your help.

[dancing cloud]

Glad to hear it all went well .