Single hen

[Henhathnofury]

I have read about traumatic introductions re chickens.....I had one myself when introducing an amber star who hated the whole thing, was bullied and also made the others two girls really sick. But last weekend, we nervously brought home two pure breeds. Cinnamon very kindly hired me a spare eglu and initially, things kicked off very badly by hybrid-pure breed conflict: pecking through the bars so that blood was drawn. Then the white light sussex seemed to be aggressive.....and we prepared ourselves for war. But we bit the bullet - freeranging them all together but then separating at end of day until they were asleep, then taking the sleepy hens in to each other. Out again in the morning for calm separate eating.

 

It is only one week, but out of the window there are four hens, looking so close they could be on strings. They dustbathe, walk together and generally hang out. All are laying, although we have a slight problem with our sensitive Gingernut Desdemona, who wants to lay in a bush, not the nest. But we feel that she will settle eventually.

 

There is only genuine pecking when there is a slight dispute and it is light and over quickly. Most of the time justified too, not random and vindictive.

 

I just wanted to tell any of you about to introduce, that it can work. It helps that all four are laying hens, that we have separate housing and space for them to free-range. Also that we did a 2:2 ratio. But I honestly think that my existing girls are actually happy to have some more friends. The new girls already run toward me when I come to visit, although not yet to stroke unless they are sleepy in bed. I will still use the separate housing, simply because I am up and down to London a lot at present. But it can work!

[Olly]

That's brilliant news - introductions can be difficult, but you've obviously followed 'The Rules' and they've overcome their differences. As you say, it probably helps that there's a 2:2 ratio and that they're laying.

 

It's a great feeling, isn't it, the first time you see them all dustbathing together or browsing in the garden!

[Henhathnofury]

Daft I know but I got a huge sense of calmness and wellbeing, as if World Peace had arrived...something similarly huge. They all actually already seem very fond of each other....

[Falkor]

What a lovely post, so nice to know that intros can go well too!

 

I was thinking earlier that it might be easier to intro when they are all laying but with the newbies only collected yesterday at about 17 weeks it may be a while. And OSH needs to step up to the nest box too!

 

We have had a very small amount of hackles up staring competitions between OSH and Snowball but it lasts about a minute and nothing else of note.

 

Again so happy all going well.