Single hen

[melly264]

My dear youngest is a bit of a live wire ( ) so in the garden today to spice things up he decided to let the new chickens out of the run whilst the existing ones were freeranging in the garden - I didn't know he could open the run!

 

I didn't notice for a while and then whilst I was puzzling what to do they spotted each other, at first it wasn't too bad, fronting up to each other and squawking a bit, but then the existing ones (Duracell and Annie) went into the cube run started eating the food and wouldn't let the newbies (Cookie and Miranda) back in. It was obvious the newbies were spooked and wanted to go home! So I picked them up, put them in the eggport and then shooed out Duracell and Annie. The whole thing was over in the space of 20mins!

 

What do I do now......?

 

Thing is the newbies are so weak and skinny compaired to the existing ones, I just think its such an unfair battle. The pair of them were cowering, and to let me pick them up so easily shows me they weren't happy. I had always planned to let them get back to better health first, before introducing them. Which also ties in with when we are away (first week in April). I thought we'd start the intros then, as if it goes badly I didn't want any problems whilst we are away.

 

So my concerns are thus :

- Should I count that as first freeranging together and carry on? Or revert to the origional plan.

- Is it ever detremental to have the chickens seeing each other regularly thro the run but not introducing them?

- If I do start and it doesn't go well, can I back out and try again after our hols?

 

Oh I never thought it would be this hard or am I just too soft

[Kirstine]

This reminds me of when a friend's 3-yr old 'helpfully' decided to show some newish chickens the delights of the front garden. To be fair they were free-ranging but hadn't ventured far from their run until then.

 

Usually we introduce chickens pretty quickly (because DH is too soft to keep them in the run looking longingly at the garden), but you can expect some 'argy bargy', and yes, one of the first things that usually happens is that the oldies steal the newbies' food. I deal with this by letting everyone out into their own runs first thing, so they get a good breakfast inside them, and then letting them out and leaving them to it - they will go back to bed in their own houses as well so they get a decent supper.

However, given that your newbies are still quite feeble and recovering, and have plenty of space in their run, I would agree that maybe giving them a couple of extra weeks, and the supervision you will be able to give after your holiday, is probably a good idea. I don't know how old your child is, but maybe it could be a learning experience 'we let them get to know each other slowly so they can be good friends'?

Don't feel too guilty about how horrible the chickens are to each other, though. They will have to go through the pecking order thing at some point. It is quite normal, and they get over it quickly, I only worry if blood gets spilt.

[melly264]

thanks Kirstine, you have a long list of chooks in your sig. so I guess you've done this a good few times before!!!

[Guest]

we kept ours seperate but where they could see each other then we'd let one lot out to free range while the others stayed in their run and then vice versa so both sets of chooks had free ranging time and chance to check each other out at close quarters but without feeling threatened. This went on for about a week.

 

Next we let them sleep together at night but then seperated them in the morning for about a week, so they got used to each others smell.

 

Then, after about 2 weeks we let them all out together and everything was fine. Once we were sure they were getting on together while they free ranged we put them all in the same run and kept an eye on them.

 

If you have ex batts relatively new out of the cage then they really do need time to get their strength back before you start mixing them.

[Olly]

Is it ever detremental to have the chickens seeing each other regularly thro the run but not introducing them?-

 

No, I think it's good - if they see each other, they will gradually get more used to the idea and then you can move on to feeding treats at the edge of the run, and then free-ranging.

 

- If I do start and it doesn't go well, can I back out and try again after our hols?

 

Yes, you can always go back a stage - I did that with mine because I felt I'd rushed the introduction, I separated them and went through the perimeter feeding, free-ranging and putting her in the Cube at night all over again for a few days.

 

I'd definitely give your new ones a chance to build up strength, if you think they're maybe a bit weak.

[Egluntyne]

I agree with Kirstine about letting them have a bit longer to build up their strength.

 

My exbatts were as weak as kittens when they first arrived, and at the same time aggressive, so there was always the danger that they might have started battles that they were unable to finish.

 

I would wait till you get back from your hols.

 

It is a good idea to let them see each other and become accustomed to the sights and sounds before mingling them.

 

Articles on managing intros **here**