Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Griffin]

My lovely long suffering other half has bought me a massive chicken house so that we can extend our chook family I've reserved two Columbines, a White Star and a Bluebelle who will be ready to come home at the end of the month. They'll move into the smaller coop & run currently used by my original ladies before eventually moving into the new house and free ranging all day. Mine don't use the run at all, they're free ranging all day anyway.

 

How should I go about moving my ladies into their new house? Should I plonk them in it at night when they're sleepy? I feel sorry for them because they'll be so confused about not being able to get into 'their' house and then it'll be invaded by strangers! I've never done this before and want the move to be as easy and stress free as possible for them. Or am I just thinking and worrying too much?

[Egluntyne]

I would put them in at night as you suggest. As you don't use a run, why not shift or shut the old coop for a while so that they can't access it.

 

I have had a few try to get into their old Eglu when I move them into the big run. They soon get the idea.

 

Try not to stress too much about it.

 

Very useful for you to have a second coop, though for intros.

[Milly]

When we got our cube, we put the hens in the first night. The second night we came out to find a couple roosting on top of the Eglu (the door to the Eglu run was closed). We posted them in to the cube and moved the Eglu and had no more problems.

 

I think we humans find it all more stressful than they do!

 

Milly

[sandyhas3chucks]

we moved the Eglu yesterday from bottom of the garden to their new winter quarters by the house & new run! they were pretty confused & it's their house, but one poor girl was just desperate to go down the garden to the non exsotent eglu to lay, took her to see in the end she complained clucked grumbled paced, wouldn't come away so carried her gently back into new run & placed her in Eglu & shut the door. few minutes lovely egg. just hope we don't have to go throught he whole thing again in the morning. they will adjust in time.

[New Girl]

Hi Griffin

 

I can't help with your question, but I would love to know where you are getting your Columbines? I'm in Witney and have been searching for some locally with no joy.

 

Suzi

[helenmb]

Hens have a very strong homing instinct which is why they will try if possible to return to their original quarters. So by just returning them back if they try to roost near their old home should re-align this instinct so they will learn where home is again.

 

I would add your new girls into the new house at night to start this process and just keep a watch for the first couple of nights to make sure they have made it back to their new abode. I'm getting some new girls to go into my new cube all of which are arriving next week so this is how I will be doing it myself.

 

Hope it goes well with the move and with your new girls. I have a Bluebelle and she is lovely (friendly and is now laying lovely - if a bit small for now - eggs) everyone always comments on her because of her colour.