Single hen

[alih]

I am having a bad day after a week spending a lot of time at home and letting the girls all free range as much as possible but feeling as though nothing is changing.

 

Do people find it takes longer to merge ex bats than "normal" chickens? My others took only 3 weeks but my ex bats are still terrified of the big girls who are being very unpleasant to them (no injury though).

 

Any words of encouragement and experience would be most welcome as I am wondering whether the happy flock will ever happen at the moment! Thanks in advance!

[Tweety]

Hi alih, my ex bats took longer to settle down with my other girls too, although it was the ex bats being aggressive rather than the others. Most of the problems related to food and it took the ex bats some time to realise that there was enough food for everyone! I did wonder whether I had done the right thing in merging my 2 flocks, but they are all very happy now and it is lovely to see the ex bats in a group with the others. You don't say how long the merging has been going on but, if there are no injuries, I would just persevere with it - the worst should be over by now. Good luck, and I hope things settle down very soon.

[Lydia]

I am wondering whether the happy flock will ever happen at the moment!

 

Now that sounds very familiar! I think anyone who's ever introduced new chickens has had that thought at some point. I've been known to exasperatingly plead with mine to "just start liking each other for heavens sake!!!"

 

Don't worry it can take time - more time than you think sometimes - and depends on your chickens. My last lot of ex-bats took about 6 weeks to fully merge into the flock - that was about 3 weeks living separately in an eglu + run and free ranging with the other girls, then another 2 weeks where we divided up the big run and moved their eglu into one half. Then Shiraz decided to merge herself into the flock by flying over the divide so that settled it Give or take the odd skirmish they've been fine ever since.

 

When Ablett arrived I could have moved her into the flock pretty much immediately - she just marched into the run and almost said "Oh this is nice, where shall I sit?" She put up with the pecking and got on with it. The others got bored and accepted her.

 

You will get there eventually.

[alih]

Thanks guys, the ex bats have been here for 4 weeks now but only have done limited ranging as I need to be around and work full-time. But the extended period when I have been in the garden for a full day have been good for me to observe and it does end up with the ex bats cowering and the bruisers giving them a really hard time. I worry particularly about Bubbles as she is so tiny and thin....

[Tweety]

Maybe you should put the merging process on hold for a couple of weeks to give the ex bats time to build up their strength a bit more. I didn't read your signature and chicken info properly so didn't realise that you had only had them a relatively short time. I didn't start introducing my ex bats to the others until I had had them for 12 weeks, by which time they were in quite good physical shape and could stand up for themselves. Perhaps your little girls wouwld benefit from having some more time separated from but within view of the others before trying again.

[Egluntyne]

I'd go with Tweety's advice alih.

 

You will get there in the end.

 

When the lighter evenings are here, you will be able to allow them to play together far more often and it will make a huge difference.

[alih]

Thank you guys, as always. I am looking at an eglu on ebay as Egluntine I just can't keep your eglu for months and i will no doubt have more intros to do one day so will keep the ex bats as they are for now and keep trying. They are such gorgeous girls - really tame and friendly, with lovely red combs and growing feathers. I love having them but feel guilty at them being picked on and scared so much by my bottom chicken in particular!

[One_Box]

No two chickens are the same are they!

 

My original hens have always been docile and got along together. When I brought my Batts home on 31st Jan it took a total of 3 weeks to integrate them fully with the rest.

 

I think I must have been lucky but there was only a couple of days when pecking took place when they first free ranged together. Now they traipse around the garden in a happy little flock.

 

It is however an anxious time but well worth going through when you eventually see them happy and settled

[Chook n Boo Mum]

My 4 batties free-range relatively happily with the rest of the hoodlums, the odd peck gets thrown - from both sides, and they wander in & out of each others runs (the big healthy ones have the walkin run and the batties have their own extended eglu run.)

 

Earlier today, I saw almost all the Orpies & chooks in the batties' run & the batties stood out in the wind watching them !!!

 

Although I would like to get them all into the big run, I've decided to wait & at least let them get a decent covering of feathers before I embark on that operation, unless they make the decision themselves. It might make the early morning scramble a bit easier & the bed time routine too, as maybe the is a bit cramped for them, I don't think they all get on as well as I had hoped & the noise can be quite horrifying if I am a bit slow at the breakfast delivery before I open the Eglu door! The other girls all bundle into the to sleep leaving empty and unloved all night! DH thinks I should just bung them in the & let them get on with it

 

The batties are still quite nervy, one of them still jumps like a cartoon creature anytime I go anywhere near her, I must try sitting down with them nearby & try to encourage her to approach me, this may not help much as I'd be mobbed by the Big'Uns!!!

 

Sha x

[Egluntyne]

Thank you guys, as always. I am looking at an eglu on ebay as Egluntine I just can't keep your eglu for months

Honestly...I am in no huge rush for it. I have 2 empty ones at the mo, should I suddenly need one.

[alih]

Thank you. I shall keep you up-to-date. All much appreciated.