4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[poachedegg]

About 10 days ago we got our new chickens Daphne and Marjorie and for introductions I have followed your 2 articles in FAQ's to the letter........and it worked!!

 

After freeranging for 2 or 3 days together, this afternoon we left the cube run door open and 'encouraged' them in to see what would happen and surprisingly it is one of the new ones - Daphne - that is making waves, not the old ones as we thought.

 

Anyway apart from the odd peck when the oldies went near the treat bowl Daphne was at - everything went well.

 

OH had to get in the run to put Daphne and Marjorie in as they couldn't suss out the ladder (we thought they would follow the other 3!) - so fingers crossed everybody survives their 1st evening in the cube together.

 

Great advice ladies - thank you

[Egluntyne]

You are welcome. I'm glad it went well.

[The Dogmother]

You're most welcome; glad to hear that it went well

[laurmurf]

I'm adding my thanks too!

 

I too followed Egluntine's and Claret's advice to the letter and it's worked beautifully!

 

We've been taking it really slowly since the babies are so much younger than the big ladies. They started free ranging together a week ago after free ranging separated by omlet netting for several weeks. They're still sleeping separately (going to their respective cube and eglu every night) and I'm not in a rush to change things.

 

We have had NO BULLYING, no pecking, no trauma... nothing but a bit of hard staring from the big girls that the babies take quite seriously. Like Claret says in her notes, they are still two separate flocks at the moment but each day sees a small change in this. The babies came forward today when the big girls got their afternoon treats: they very respectfully stayed a bit back but the big girls didn't resent their presence.

 

One of the big girls, Flo - who I would have thought would be the nastiest to them, is actually genuinely interested in them and follows the babies around and stays with them all day. The only grumpy girl is our broody Bea who is grumpy with everyone at the mo!

 

thanks again to you both!

[Olly]

well that's good news, as I too am following the advice strictly, as I introduce Pipi (Forensica's noisy chook) to my four. She is no 'chicken', her first action on arrival was to rush up to the shared fence and peck at Sadie, the boss chicken!

 

They free-ranged a bit today and there was some squawking as she got mugged (curiously, by the two lowest in the pecking order - Sadie doesn't seem too bothered) but I tucked her into the Cube after dark tonight and all was silent. The 'perimeter feeding' seems to work well, too.

 

Glad to hear it has worked for you two.