Single hen

[MaggieMcHen]

Edit; I've split this topic from one about free teabags! Sheila.

 

Oh and appropo nothing - I'm collecting a shiny eglu on thursday so that I can restock my Peckingham Palace - need the other house for the littles whilst I do the intro's. I'm sure 6 point of lays can cram in the eglu they'll only be there until it gets dark when I will transfer them to the Cube - and back out again in the morning for a day or so until they are all friends

[WitchHazel]

OOh, how lovely! 6 new chooks! What are you going to get?

[MaggieMcHen]

Don't know yet - still trying to contact the local hen man but hybrids. My grandson wants another White Star as he loved the white eggs and the hen, other than that what ever takes my fancy on the day I lost 4 and a bantam cock to the foxes before we built Peckingham Palace

[tom123]

Sorry to butt in and be rude but just a suggestion MaggieMcHen, I have read lots of places where they advised you put the new hens in the old house then put the old chooks somewhere else. You could put the 6 new ones in the cube and your 2 original girls in the eglu, let them settle in then do some free-ranging together then slowly put the originals back into the cube. this might give the new ones an advantage as they are their first (ish!)

 

Sorry to be rude

 

Good Luck

Tom

[WitchHazel]

That sounds like a good suggestion Tom, especially if the numbers were the other way round (6 oldies and 2 newbies).

 

I'm no expert at all, so this is just my thoughts rather than experience... with 6 newbies, I'm not sure I'd turf my oldies out.

 

Thinking about it some more, I think I might be tempted to get them introduced more quickly than normal, before the 6 form a solid flock and then the two newbies become the interlopers.

 

But, like I said, I don't have any experience. Hopefully someone with real experience will come along soon...

[mostin]

It won't matter that the oldies are only two. They will be bigger and bolder, and not at all willing to give up their patch to the newbies, so don't feel harsh about putting the oldies in the eglu and the newbies in the cube. Any advantage the newbies have will be helpful and will speed up the intro, or at least might make it a bit more peaceful .

 

Hope you have lots of fun choosing your new girls, and don't forget to post piccies when they arrive.

[MaggieMcHen]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - now I'm completely screwed up about the best way to proceed

 

Only one of my existing hens is laying and I don't want her to stop because she doesn't know where to go

 

Might just go the whole hog and put them together. Had planned transhiping them each night into the cube after lights out and back into a separated situation each morning at sun up. Then free ranging together with me in attendance and lots of treats next day.

 

Any thoughts

[WitchHazel]

Maggie, just a thought - might be worthwhile posting in the Chicken section, describing your circumstances (2 existing, 6 new POL) and asking for advice opinions there. The people who have most experience may not be visiting this topic.

 

note from Sheila;...good idea, I've split & moved the topic, let's hope we can help!

[MaggieMcHen]

I'm ahead of you - I did that at the same time as posting here! No replys yet