Dinkychick Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I have been intergrating my two new girls (Bunny+Smeegal) in with the older chucks (Strut+Alfred).... all seems to be going well so far, its week 2. They managed to be in each others company in the run and/free ranging with only a little pecking/chasing.... Bunny runs and Strut chases, Alfred follows but im not sure if he is defending or adding to the fear. Smeegal doesnt run she just eats lol. Tonight i left them all together (their runs join and i have been seperating them with a mesh panel) to see what they would do when it got dark/bed time. The older ones went in the eglu as normal... the new girls stayed out eating for 15mins longer then went indoors to bed in their normal place (a very large flowerpot!) They are not interested in going into the eglu. Shall i leave them to it for now and see how it goes? I want to get them all in together soon as its safer/warmer and less stressful for me lol. But i dont want to lift them into the eglu just yet as they havent quite sorted the pecking order out and im a bit nervous Does anyone else have chucks that dont sleep together?? Is this ok? Any advice please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Generally in my experience nights are a good time to start integrating 2 groups of hens. Often when they're sleepy and placid they're not going to argue with each other . It's just the mornings and evenings that can be tricky. What I'd recommend is letting the established pair go to bed and give them time to settle down. Then pop the newbies in through the nesting box port hole. Hang around for a few minutes just to listen out for any grumbles, but you're unlikely to hear much except for a bit of shifting around as they make themselves comfortable. But it's important that you're up early to get the new girls out before the established pair wake up properly and realise that they've had their space invaded , especially if you usually leave the door pushed too so that they can let themselves out in the morning because if they all wake up and make their way into the run together there could, unfortunately, be some fighting. It shouldn't take too long for them all to start to tolerate each other...I hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Mine have been free ranging together for 2 weeks now and each night they have taken themselves to their own eglu. Three nights ago the new ones followed the old ones into their walk in run. The first night, one slept with the others and the other one slept on top of the cube and the last couple of nights they have both slept on top of the cube. I am just going to leave them to it and let them go in when they feel like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 My 2 new hens have been sleeping in the cube with the others from day one and have been fine, no arguments at all, but during the day I have to keep them seperate in the run. Having said that they free range together in thegarden but the 2 new ones generally keep out of the way of the others although they are getting braver, I will be very glad when they have completely accepted the new ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinkychick Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Thanks for your inputs There was quite a bit of squabbling today, i blame it on the rainy weather so have put the panel up between them. Going to keep them seperate tomorrow as im not around to break up any fights. Its awful to watch and they arnt really hurting each other! Even my 2 original chucks were fighting each other the two new girls still wanted to go to sleep in their flowerpot but then after a day of grumbles i dont blame them. I will try to pop them all together when they are sleepy....trouble is the original ones never seem to be fully sleepy whatever time i sneak a peak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggypeggy Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Similar situation here. I've been free ranging new chooks with older chooks for about 2 weeks after about 3 weeks of newies being confined to run seperate from the older ones. Free ranging went well so for about a week now I have been putting the new chooks in with the older ones.. There is a bit of tension, but I check over the new ones every morning and they're not being hurt. Just a bit of pecking, and jostling for position. I then have to get up at the crack of dawn to make sure the run and eglu door are open to allow them to get out. I couldn't let them be confined to our standard eglu run yet, they're not that good friends yet. It's a bit labour intensive, but I'm hoping for a fully integrated flock sometime soon. They are definately tolerating each other better during the day. At the end of the day the only way they are going to become a flock is by spending time together. I just wanted to make sure the little ones were about the same size as the olders ones.. and that happened sooner than I expected! good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinkychick Posted October 15, 2008 Author Share Posted October 15, 2008 im glad im not the only one finding it hard work intergrating new ones! I shall keep at it... i just wish i could take a fortnight off work so i could keep an eye on them and leave them to it running about the garden. It may take a little less time then?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Nope your definately not alone I am doing the same they all sleep together in the cube at bed time but are seperated in the morning the handbags at dawn through the runs have stopped we are getting there slowly but surely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Why not arrange their feeders so that they eat facing eachother, If they can get used to doing this it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I'd leave them to it - just make sure that no-one's drawing blood. I reckon we must have the world's friendliest chickens - we bought an Amber (Daisy) and a Maran (Maisy) to join our existing Light Sussex and Plymouth Rock at the weekend. They were in an adjoining run for the last 3 days but there was none of the shouting and posturing from the older girls that we had when we last did an introduction. They actually all ended up huddling together on both sides of the wire in the afternoon of the 1st day and the new girls were notably agitated when Cindy and Pippin went to bed in the eglu - they kept trying to follow them in. So - after 2 days and nights of separation we let them in together in the same run, stood around with a water pistol and broom in case of arguments and checked throughout the day but there's not been a peep or a barney. All 4 girls went to bed last night without incident - the older hens went in about 15 minutes before the newbies but come 7pm they were all cuddled up together in the eglu. So far so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinkychick Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 I'd leave them to it - just make sure that no-one's drawing blood. I reckon we must have the world's friendliest chickens - we bought an Amber (Daisy) and a Maran (Maisy) to join our existing Light Sussex and Plymouth Rock at the weekend. They were in an adjoining run for the last 3 days but there was none of the shouting and posturing from the older girls that we had when we last did an introduction. They actually all ended up huddling together on both sides of the wire in the afternoon of the 1st day and the new girls were notably agitated when Cindy and Pippin went to bed in the eglu - they kept trying to follow them in. So - after 2 days and nights of separation we let them in together in the same run, stood around with a water pistol and broom in case of arguments and checked throughout the day but there's not been a peep or a barney. All 4 girls went to bed last night without incident - the older hens went in about 15 minutes before the newbies but come 7pm they were all cuddled up together in the eglu. So far so good. you sound like you have got the friendliest chickens! lol you lucky thing. Just out of interest are all of your chucks laying eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 no Pippin the PR (and gentle matriarch) was laying until we moved them and introduced the newbies. She's the most regular with usually 6 reddy-brown eggs a week - I'm sure she'll settle down and start again soon - she laid all last winter. Cindy the Light Sussex was laying pretty much daily until she started to moult 3 or so weeks ago, we're not getting piles of feathers now so hopefully she'll come back online too within a week or so. Neither of the two new girls are laying yet but it's very early days - they've only been here 5 days! (in the family sweepstake I've got Maisy the Maran tol start first) ON the plus side the girls all took themselves off to bed without being watched over this evening. When I checked at 6:30 they were all tucked up in one big ball of feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinkychick Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 its so sweet that they all want to be intogether. Mine dont lol. I asked if they were laying as i thought this may of made them more chilled out?? We got our first egg today! *faint* i bet they still dont all want to be intogether tomorro haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
