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

[Puffin]

I have read the threads on introductions and so we have our four new chickens in the eglu and run and the 3 existing chickens free ranging around them and living in the cube. Then every so often I shut up the old chickens and let the new ones free range. The old chickens were quite noisy when the new ones arrived but they have settled down now. I am going to keep this going for a couple more weeks as the new ones are much younger.

My query is this strategy in a couple of weeks when I think the new ones are ready. My existing chickens are very tame and I can pick them up quite easily, so i was wondering if anyone has a view of just putting one old one out a time to free range with the newbies, and whether this will help speed up the introduction process rather than let them all out together. Any views - anyone tried this?

 

Thanks

Edited May 7, 2009 by Guest

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Personally I went for let them all out together, I have a big garden & they all had plenty of space to move away if needs be. Splitting them up into their relevant runs after free ranging was fun for the first few days, then they realised they would all get treats and where they should be, so it got easier.

 

Good luck with the introductions,

 

Sha x

[Puffin]

so after two weeks of talking to each other through the eglu run we let them out at the weekend free ranging.

Generally it went well although they are keeping to their separate flocks. The older girls had a few pecks at the youngsters if they came too near. I had put out an extra feeder and distracted both sets with some meal worms.

However the older girls dont seem to like my polish chicken Polly. They have had quite a few goes at her, she is unharmed just lost a few feathers. I cant decide whether they dont like her or its just she doesnt get out of their way like the others do!

Anyway my query is will this settle down, I keep checking her and she is unharmed - just some lost feathers. They are roosting separately at night (oldies in cube, newies in eglu) which I dont mind but our plan is to sell the eglu eventually.

I have ordered some anti-peck spray and will obviously separate her if it escalates, but do I just sit it out and wait for it to get better.

I had wondered about rehoming the Poland but my 6yr old seems to have fallen in love with her and spends a lot of time sitting on a pot with Polly perched on her arm and burst into tears at the suggestion of it!

 

Please tell me it will be alright in the end!

 

I will try and find a piccie of daughter and Polly to post!

[Puffin]

 

My six year old daughter and Polly

[Olly]

I'd stick with it, just keep checking that she isn't suffering any damage. Remember that one chicken is always going to be bottom of the pecking order, and maybe Polly is that one, it probably doesn't help that she can't see to get out of the way!

 

I had the same problem when I introduced Pipi to my existing girls and she is still bottom chicken, when any treats are around she gets shoved out of the way with no apologies and told off firmly, but she is not being pecked, she's allowed to share the dustbath with them, and seems happy enough. The odd lost feather won't hurt Polly and that will probably stop once they've established the order.

[alih]

I agree with Olly. It will settle down. Give it time and keep an eye out for any bloodshed. My bottom chicken has always been bottom and was picked on terribly by my older girls but she just gets on with life and they pretty much leave her be now. Good luck

[Egluntyne]

Stick with it....you are nearly there.

 

Might be worth annointing Polly's head gear with something evil tasting, that won't get in her eyes, to put them off.

[Puffin]

Well having spent some time out this afternoon I dont think they are picking on Polly more than the others it's just she doesnt get out of the way quick enough... so we are sticking with it! I have ordered some anti-peck spray and hopefully it will come tomorrow so I can try it out.

[Puffin]

arghh!

 

So have just been out to close the eglu and cube and all apart from Polly are in the cube. The youngsters are trying to get in to the nest box with the big girls who are letting them but with the odd peck. i dont know whether to leave them all in there with Polly on her own or get the young ones out...

The cube is in the walk-in run, the eglu is separate with its own run - both free range in the same area. I might take the run off the eglu and move it into the walk-in run as well over the weekend, but not sure what to do tonight?

 

Any advice much appreciated.

 

Thanks

[alih]

I would leave them all where they are provided they can all get away from each other in the morning before you let them free-range. If the walk in run is big enough you should be ok. What time do you get up?? Polly will be ok for one night on her own. Good idea to put the eglu into the big run. The sleeping together is a sign they are getting more used to each other. Gload things are better with POlly - like my bottm chook she may just take a bit longer to be accepted.

[Hangman]

Eventually, the hens should calibrate their "laying" times so that they aren't all trying to go into the nest box at once - happened to ours with them fighting over nesting space, now it's not a problem as they've all sorted it out between themselves.

[Puffin]

Well in the end I decided to put Polly in the cube as well as I didnt like to think of her on her own Anyway I checked on them several times last night and they seemed to have sorted themselves out. I then got up at six this morning to let them out. The oldies were all up and about and the newbies were still investigating the cube's nesting box. So they all seem happy and things seem to have calmed down! It will be interesting to see where they all choose to roost tonight!

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Egluntyne]

That must be a relief for you.

[Puffin]

So I have now moved the eglu (less run) into the walk-in run with the cube. Tonight Polly is in the eglu on her own and the rest are in the cube. Mildred (head chicken) is in the nesting box with the other three youngsters and the other two oldies (Mary and Henny) have been relegated to the roosting bars... Mildred gave the youngsters a couple of pecks when they got to close but they all seem quite happy together. I shall give them another week or so before I remove the eglu when hopefully all the pecking will have subsided. We have put some more perches into the run to try and give them more escape routes for when they aren't free ranging and some extra food/water as well.

So hopefully things will settle down into a happy flock now!

[alih]

All sounds very positive!

[Patricia W]

Polands are easy prey for bullying because of their poor eyesight - they don't always mix in bigger flocks apparently. Hope it continues to settle down.

[Puffin]

Yes I picked that up from the forum after we had got her. She is quite happy with the youngsters and potters around with them free ranging. So I am not too worried, I did wonder about getting another Poland to keep her company but then we would have the whole introduction thing again with one hen new to all of them so I am not too keen on that idea. Generally it is definately calmer and Polly gives the oldies a wide berth... when she sees them!