Single hen

[emmaw298]

following last weekend's blood thirsty squabble and two failed reintroductions this weekend, I'm starting to think re-introducing peggy back with the 2 girls is going to be harder than I thought.

I went to the Wernlas Collection today (which I really recommend and got to see lots of cute little chicks) and purchased some bumper bits which I'm going to attempt tomorrow. In the meantime, Peggy continues to live outside during the day - separated from the other girls by chicken wire so they can still see each other and be relatively close, and then sleeps in a box in my spare room at night. I don't mind keeping her indoors overnight for now, but it can't continue forever! I'm going to try a staged reintroduction over the next few weeks but then if still no luck, might have to accept I need to keep them permanently separate and purchase another eglu as an early xmas present to myself - which is a shame really because I wanted to sell my current eglu and upgrade to a cube!

anyway, following this I was wondering does anyone permanently keep their chickens indoors at night?? in a garage or something?? seems a very good way of fox proofing to me but as we don't have a garage and our friends often stay in the spare room, I don't think we could manage it! would it be strange to keep chickens indoors at night? what do people think?

[Steve.]

It's quite a smelly way to keep chickens!

 

Hope your chook problems ease themselves with next time you try the intros.

[Snowy]

Hm, they do need good ventilation, so that could be a problem long term. Also in summer they would be more at risk of overheating. Not a problem short term though I wouldn't think

[Guest]

...they should be okay sleeping together. When they're sleepy and it's dark it's unlikely that there will be any squabbling. Have you tried this already?

 

Then you could just seperate them during the day until things settle down.

[chooklady]

I've just bought 2 new chooks and the man at Thornes told me to put them together at night. He said this would be best for getting the other chooks used to the new ones. They are fine, whether they are first in the cube or last the others take no notice of them but during the day would be different, they are in a large dog crate within the run, things are beginning to improve and they have had a bit of free ranging time.

[Chickaboo]

Yes thats what I did when I inroduced daphne - I kept them apart during the day and then posted her through the hatch at night. It did work after about 10 days. I would worry about them getting used to the warm if kept indoors, making it a bit of a shock when they do have to live outside. Having said that Daphne slept indoors after her operation it was -11 though!

[Emma Tarpey]

Try spliting the run in half then they can still see each other keep them like this for a few days then one night spray them all with vinegar then they all smell the same.. We did this several times with tuppence and it eventually worked out hope it does the same with you

[eggypeggy]

Been there got the badge! I know exactly how you feel.. I have been very gradually introducing 2 new chooks to two chooks I've had for about 18mths... They actually free range together during the day with no problem.. But I wouldn't shut them in the run together it would be a blood bath! .. I have been putting my new chooks in a box in the shed at night since I got them.

 

Recently I started letting the two new ones into the coop first and then letting the two oldies in .. they chase newies out straight away.. so I'm going to try adding the new ones in the coop after old chooks have been in there for a bit and see how it goes.. I've tried this twice before and both times the Gregory has ended up with a bald patch on her wing and they've drawn blood.. so back to seperation. So it's a bit of trial and error.

 

 

Did you add two to one or one chook to two. Because I think if it's the latter it might be worth getting another and letting the two new ones get used to each other then try two to two. If that makes sense...

Have you got anything else the chook could sleep in outside.. Shed, secure box? I tend to aggree with other posts .. She might get a little warm indoors.. I'm sure it's alright temporarily.

 

Fingers crossed for you.. Keep plugging away at intros.

[The Dogmother]

You don't mention whether you used extra housing when you introduced the new hen/s. It really isn't advised to do it without, and extra housing/rabbit hutches can easily be found on Freecycle. See the introductions thread in the FAQ section for further details.

[emmaw298]

hello, sorry only just caught up with these replies, thanks for your responses.

they were originally all rescued together from the battery farm in january and have always lived happily together up until last weekend when found peggy with half her backside pecked off. all healing well luckily, but when I let the other 2 hens back into her part of the garden this weekend, they kept trying to peck her bottom still! (think they can still see/smell some blood as still a little scabby and lady at wernlas collection said the new quills are rich in blood which chickens can detect) so have decided to keep them separate for a while yet. to separate them I just chopped the garden in half with chicken wire so they can still see each other close up. peggy has a rabbit hutch in her half to shelter in but I am bringing her in at night as it is not fox proof. she jumps into her cardboard boxand waits to be carried in now - and who said chickens were stupid???

i am going to give it until this weekend to try and reintroduce again and have purchased some bumper bits to try too. hadn't thought about putting her in with them at night and once her bottom is completely healed will try that - good idea guys!

[KAZAROO]

following last weekend's blood thirsty squabble and two failed reintroductions this weekend, I'm starting to think re-introducing peggy back with the 2 girls is going to be harder than I thought.

I went to the Wernlas Collection today (which I really recommend and got to see lots of cute little chicks) and purchased some bumper bits which I'm going to attempt tomorrow. In the meantime, Peggy continues to live outside during the day - separated from the other girls by chicken wire so they can still see each other and be relatively close, and then sleeps in a box in my spare room at night. I don't mind keeping her indoors overnight for now, but it can't continue forever! I'm going to try a staged reintroduction over the next few weeks but then if still no luck, might have to accept I need to keep them permanently separate and purchase another eglu as an early xmas present to myself - which is a shame really because I wanted to sell my current eglu and upgrade to a cube!

anyway, following this I was wondering does anyone permanently keep their chickens indoors at night?? in a garage or something?? seems a very good way of fox proofing to me but as we don't have a garage and our friends often stay in the spare room, I don't think we could manage it! would it be strange to keep chickens indoors at night? what do people think?

 

 

We did consider bringing them in nightly after the "sly" incident; and I used to "box" my cockeral at night; but tbh its better to introduce them through gentle persuasion and a spare hutch.....

[sandyhas3chucks]

omly just seen this. I have 2 friends in a dog crate in the downstairs unheated bathroom at night. (long story) I alternate with the other 2 sleeping in Eglu every few days in the hope that the dominant pair don't decide it is their territory. I too hope eventually to all sleep together, but not till bottom chook has a chance(bare bum gone, leg mended!

[HasSumAmi]

When I was introducing two new hens to our two at the time it was a bit of a nightmare until someone on the forum suggested water pistols...

 

Either my son or I sat next to the run with water squirter in hand and every time the two dominant ones pecked the other two we soaked them.

 

Soon enough they got along just fine. This was in spring time (March) so not sure about winter, but it really worked for us.

 

Take care

[sandyhas3chucks]

if only..... my sods are good as gold if we are there & go the very second our backs are turned. Unless they are dust bathing or preening when a truce is apparently allowed!

bumper bit going on soon! thanks though

[cordelia]

we used a dog crate too...outside, and the chicken newbie was put in that on the first day....inside i had a large cat basket, which she was put into at night....and covered with blankets to keep draught free....I also covered the crate with a taup..

 

One thing I would try if i was you is seperating the chickens differently..

 

After 1 or 2 nights alone we took out the No.1 hen, and put her in the crate during the day and night....she was next to her sister...no.2 chicken and so could see her....she let out awful squawks if she couldnt...

and No.3 chicken and no.2 chicken were put in the eglu run together...and after a couple of pecks got on...

 

we stayecd like that for a week..

 

Basically No.1 hen was chief bully...so we took her out of the equation and left NO.2 hen and the newbie, no.3 tob bond ..(they do have names but its easier to show this way

 

Divide and conquer was our description and it worked well...they all slept togther in less than two weeks...and get on very well now

 

Hope this helps..

[pistachio]

I've been having a similar discussion on a thread (something like "this morning one of my chickens was being pecked to death - Why?") My savage hen is fine at night in the coop and I just hook her out before I unlock the door in the morning. My injured one is healing up and I'll gradually reintroduce her with ukadex/rings on beak of others etc etc later. At night they are much more docile, although i try not to leave them long in the morning just in case. I've currently got a run from a friend and bought a run in order to house the aggressor and the injured one, in sight of the main cube during the day. they also free range together when I'm about to watch what is going on and they are getting more peaceful together. Good luck

[helenmb]

I find with my lot that they will be fine for ages and then for some weird reason something sets them off and round they go chasing the little girls for a bit.

 

Nothing too nasty, the littlies sometimes squeal but I think I would if I was a big beak coming my way. Just the odd bit of feather pulling and even then they don't pull them out very often. They then settle down again - real Jekyll and Hyde stuff!

 

I usually find that it settles down as time goes by and by the third week they are all pretty good friends - until of course when the mealworms come out.

 

I think I've been lucky but am going to try the water pistol technique if I'm around as we have one ready to hand for the mangy cat the duffs little Mia up every so often It works on marauding squirrels too.