Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[woodychill]

I have two girls who are three years old and I have just rescued two ex battery chickens. Currently the ex battery girls sleep in their travel box in the conservatory and I am trying to integrate them with my 'big' girls.

 

This is not going too well as the 'big' girls are really nasty to the ex battery girls. I have just tried to see if they would accept them in the eglu as it was getting dark and I thought they might be nicer; again they were just plain nasty.

 

The big girls are used to other chickens as they have been to my Cousin's when we go on holiday and she has about 30. I am getting worried that they may never accept them.

 

Does anyone know what I should do to integrate them; I do not want to leave them to it as the big girls behaviour is just plain vicious and I fear the ex battery girls will get really hurt. The ex battery girls are now really scared if the big girls come near.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

[Rustyangel]

Hi there

 

Without knowing what your set-up is, this is a tricky one to answer. For example, if you have an enclosed run, is it possible to divide it up so that the new girls have some mesh between them and the existing flock? If so, I would do that for a week or so until they stop trying to peck through the mesh. Usually sleeping is not such an issue, it's the waking hours which are a problem. Maybe try waiting until it's much later in the night before trying to sneak the new ones in?

 

If you are unable to divide them up while they are out, can you let them free-range together then give them a treat straight away? When I introduced two new birds I made a bowl of porridge with some bokashi bran in it and let them all chow down together. Once the existing flock realise there is no threat to their food and water they should eventually settle down.

 

It's unsurprising your girls were ok when they went on holiday because it wasn't their 'turf' beign invaded so this is altogether different. I hope you get on ok - keep us posted.

 

Good luck

 

Debs

[Tweety]

There is some excellent advice on integration in the FAQ section of the forum, which you will find answers your questions. I have had my ex batts since the middle of July and am only just thinking about introducing them to my other girls - I don't know what state your ex batts are in, mine weren't too bad, but I think that they will need some time to build up strength enough to cope with meeting your other hens. You should take it very slowly, and you will need some alternative housing for the ex batts until they have been successfully introduced. I really wouldn't put them all together in the eglu yet. Good luck!

[woodychill]

When I first had them, the ex batts had the forbidden part of the garden and my big girls their usual side. I thought this was causing some jealousy as the whole point of our big girls existence is to get to this side. I have opened it up and they seem to be getting on free ranging quite well. There is some nastiness from the big girls but generally the ex batts just keep their head down and look for me.

 

I have put the treats box on the patio, and they all eat from it but at separate times. The big girls go first then I make sure the ex batts have a go, but at the moment everything is so new to them, it's not the big thing that the big girls make of it. My big worry is if I have to go out, so I think I will have to divide the run into two for the timebeing.

 

The ex batts are very small, and there poor little feathers are non existent. It is amazing how they have started to grow some fluff, which is another reason why I did not want them in the eglu too soon as I thought they would be cold. I then wondered if I had made a mistake, but it seems not...phew! The ex batts are so lovely, and they have lovely natures. I must admit I thought they would be in a poor condition, but I was shocked when we first picked them up. I only hope that this is outlawed in 2012, as to see these poor little things is enough to make you cry.

 

On the up side, they have discovered air, sun, grass, rain, grapes and best of all CAKE!!

 

I will keep you posted on how things go. We are away for a week in a couple of months so I hope they all like each other by then.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Egluntyne]

I would take it slowly as ex-batts are often quite weak in the muscle dept and no match at first for fit and healthy hens.

 

Contrarily though, because they have been used to having to assert themselves to get food, they can be a bit aggressive about it till they learn that there is always plenty about.

 

Have a look at **these articles** and after a period of quarantine

(always a good idea with ex-bats) and a chance to build up their strength, you could follow the suggestions.

 

Good luck.

[woodychill]

Thanks for that, I feel a little bit easier as it seems this is normal. It is a shock to see two lovely girls who have had a great life being so nasty.

 

They are all currently free ranging (albeit in separate parts of the garden) quite nicely, and I have put eradicate on all four of them to help them smell the same.

 

I think that I will allow the free ranging in the day but keep them separate at night until my new girls are stronger and more settled. The next step will be to get all four of them on their side of the garden and see how that goes.

 

Things do not seem so bad now I know this is what everyone goes through.

 

Thanks for all your help.

[Clash City Rocker]

I got 2 ex-batts first week of August 2008 to add to the 5 chickens I already had.

I let the 2 ex-batts free range all day for the first week or so while the regular gang were kept segregated. I sealed the nesting box part of the Cube overnight to let the 2 ex-batts sleep in, I had to put them into the Cube as they weren't strong enough to get up the ladder.

The second week I locked the ex-batts in the Cube/Run for a couple of hours a day while they got used to glugs/feeders/ladders etc with the regular gang wandering around outside,

by the end of the second week both ex-batts had laid in the Cube nesting box.

Week 3 I left all 7 too it, free ranging around the garden all day (which I usually do), there was a bit of bullying and nastiness for the first couple of days but the ex-batts quickly realised what was happening.

The regular gang were quite spitful regarding Rain, they wouldn't let the ex-batts into the Cube run when it rained and wouldn't let them into the Dirt bath on Sunny days for a week or so but it all worked out reasonsably quickly.

My ex-batts were definately comfortable/accepted within a month of arriving and now 2 months later are going fron strenght to strength.

[woodychill]

Hello,

 

Just a little update, things are calming down here. My big girls Penelope and Jemima are much better now. I have been hand feeding all the girls grapes every day as I thought this would be a good idea. The little girls Matilda and Amelia are getting good at pinching them. Amelia is the slower eater, and she will run to the corner to eat in peace. I make all the girls wait until she has finished then hand them another. They all seem fine with this.

 

At night, I put the little ones in the run first, they go to bed and I shut the door; I then let the big girls in the run. Once the little ones have settled down and it is dark I open the door and the big girls go in. I then leave them all together and each day it is a little longer. The little girls spend the rest of the night in their box. Eventually I will leave them in there all night but be up early to supervise the morning.

 

This approach seems to be working quite well, with little stress to all concerned.

 

Phew and thanks again for your advice.

 

Claire

 

P.S. My ex batt girls are so lovely and friendly, they are a real pleasure to have and everytime I go outside they come running and will follow me. If I stand still they stand on my shoes, they are so sweet. They are such pretty little girls, as are my big girls.

[Egluntyne]

Good to hear that things are going well.