4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Florence]

My three big girls have been in residence since Sept,all laying no bullying .About 4 weeks go we brought home 2 pekins,kept pekins in separate housing and run for first 10 days or so and then gradually let them all out to free range .there has been the odd bit of argy bargy but to be honest no major problems all pottering around although keeping out of each others way.Today when I went up to see them after having been out for afternoon one of the little ones was hiding behind the house and I couldnt find Dolly my Lavender pekin anywhere,I could sware the big girls were looking guilty.

 

Eventually coaxed Debs our with some corn and put her back in the little run with a bit of corn,distracted the big girls with their corn and went oin hunt for Dolly,eventually found her quivering under a bush,she had been pecked on the neck and there was a little blood (not much)but seemed more shaken up than anything else.Put her back in with Debs and sprayed with antiseptic.They were clearly happy earlier as we had two eggs and by this evening were snuggled up together,but Dolly was os scared that when she came out of the house for a drink and saw Clover through the wire she rushed straight back again.

 

I thought everything was going so well,should I go back to keeping the pekins confined ,or should we only let them out when we can supervise.Their runs are next door to each othe in a fenced off part of the garden.Feel like letting the pekins out and leaving big girls in but expect that would be a bit vindictive!!

 

How shoudl we play it?

[Redwing]

What a shame! Joking apart letting one lot out and keeping one lot in is a good idea, they can get really close but not get at each other