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

[chixandthecity]

Hello

 

We're thinking about possibly rehoming, Blossom, our White Star (approx 8/9 months old, lays about 6 eggs per week).

 

We got her just over a month ago with another hen who unfortunately died recently (she was eggbound). Blossom has been a bit of a handful from the start (we're total novices!). We were going to return her to the breeder after the first week but a breakdown in communication meant that we ended up keeping her.

 

The thing with her is that she is a real alpha chicken! She is very large and domineering.

 

We got two new hens a couple of weeks ago to replace the one who died and so far Blossom isn't really bonding with them. They free range together okay and sleep together at night in the Eglu, but Blossom tries her best to stop the newbies from getting into the Eglu at night, guarding the door and pecking when they try to go in! When we're out, they have to go in separate runs (Blossom on her own). The main problem is that Blossom is constantly trying to pluck/eat the other two's feathers.

 

Obviously we want to have the three of them integrated in one run but there's no chance of that at present. I've ordered some bumper bits and we'll try to fit them and see how that works.

 

if not, I think we might look to rehome Blossom. I suspect she needs more space and maybe a larger flock. What's the best way to go about rehoming? We're in York.

 

Thanks

 

Chix

http://www.chixandthecity-motherhen.blogspot.com

[moochoo]

It is really difficult but introducing 2 to 1 is the best way. The bumper bit should really help the pecking issue. It can easily take 3 months for a lot of the introduction problems to subside but they nearly always do.

If you can keep going with free ranging and sleeping together that will really help. The worst place for bullying is in the run so it's worth keeping them seperate for as long as possible. If you're runs are close together try feeding treats along a common border, this will help them share.

Good luck!

[Egluntyne]

I agree with moochoo. You are halfway there.

 

I would put a bumperbit on Blossom, and just stick with it.

[chixandthecity]

Thanks, I'm sure you're both right. We don't want to rehome her, but are getting fed up of her anti social ways!

 

Any advice about fitting bumper bits? We're dreading it. Blossom is okay being handled but I'm sure she won't be happy about having her beak prised open and something stuck into her nostrils!

 

Thanks

 

Chix

http://www.chixandthecity-motherhen.blogspot.com

[Egluntyne]

Two man job. Wrap her firmly in a towel first, and with one holiding her head, put the bit in her mouth, with the prongy bits above her beak, and flip it downwards, making sure that they go directly into her nostrils.

 

It is best softened in hot water first.

 

You can put a bit of vaseline on the prongy bits to make it easier to slide downwards.

 

If you have some circlip pliers to hand, they make it fairly easy to apply the bits.

[moochoo]

Sit the bumper bit in hot water first to get it a bit more pliable. You'll need two people one to hold Blossom, in a towel if she's a struggler. I find it easier to open the beak and slide the bit in and then push the sides downwards into the nostrils.

It may take a few goes but once you've got it it's quite straight forward.

She may sneeze and look pretty sorry for herself for a couple of hours, try to be strong and ignore her. She'll soon forget about it and behave normally.

[Woodcat]

Yeah i'd keep going. The way i managed to stop our dominante hen when she was blocking the others getting in was to grab her through the egg port and shove her in the other end of the run having given the others enough time to get in and comfy then everytime she went in and tried shoving them out she got shoved out and shut out for two mins. It nearly broke my heart because everytime i did it she would get so upset however it did work and after two days she would go into that eglu and sit in the corner and not attack anything