Single hen

[Nature Chick]

Hi

We collected our new hens on Saturday, 2 pol Bovans Nera - very beautiful!

 

They are living in an old hen house in the pen and Red is in the pen shut in the eglu + run. They have been very shy and tentative for most of the weekend but seem to want to meet Red (not sure why!) Red has spent the entire weekend shouting her head off. In the afternoons we pottered in the garden so let Red free-range in the garden where she continued to strut around shouting but was quieter than when she was in the eglu. She has also taken to sitting on my knee which she never wanted to do before so maybe she is seeking reassurance. She has also decided that she has joined up with me and my partner and would much rather come in the house than entertain the new girls. They have been quite near to each other on opposite sides of the netting but apart from Red pecking one of them there hasn't been much interaction. Back at work today and hoping that Red isn't still screaming at the top of her lungs! I am really nervous about putting them all together, I thought that at the weekend I would take the netting down and let them all free range together. I know that there will be fighting which I will find really upsetting as they are only babies and I have never seen Red be aggressive before...

 

....does anyone have any tips? We were hoping to go away for the weekend in 3 weeks time but we won't go if they haven't settled in.

 

Thanks

S

x

[Egluntyne]

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