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

[eggalp]

Im really at my wits end with my two older chucks . Ive had two new chucks for about 7 weeks now (they are approx 24 weeks old now), they are living in seperate runs but free range for a few hours a day together every day when i get home from work.

 

I am going on holiday in a couple of weeks, so to make it easier for my kind neighbours to look after them i really want to get them all in one run. I tried on saturday and after 20 mins i had to let them all out as the younger ones were traumatised and being pretty badly pecked. I did have extra feeders and drinkers in there but it didnt really seem to make much difference.

 

I just cant see an end to this and its making me feel really bad! I am starting to hate my older chucks for being so mean (i know its only natural but its so frustrating) and i feel guilty because the new chickens are being picked on.

 

I tried to put them in the run together again on sunday but the younger ones wouldn't even go near the run after their experience on saturday. I feel like i've made things worse and i don't know what to do for the best.

 

Any tips? I am at my wits end..................... i am ready to give up altogether

[Budgies]

Sorry to hear of all your frustrations with trying to integrate your chooks.

 

I'm sure that other people with relevant experience will be along to help you soon.

 

Without having any personal experience of integrating newbies, all I'd suggest is that you either (a) give up the integration until you get home from holiday, accepting that your neighbour will have just slightly more work (but not angry chickens fighting each other to deal with) or (b) fit the older ones with bumper bits and stick them all in together and leave them like that however much it frays your nerves (unless someone is obviously coming to some harm).

 

Just one more thought. The existing girls will be very territorial. Could you move them in with the newbies so that they can't be so territorial?

 

Really good luck with whatever you choose.

[tania]

I haven't got any personal experience but have read that the introduction process can be easier if the new chickens are introduced into the coop right when they are going to bed. It seems that as they are sleepier and it's dark theefore process isn't so traumatic when done then. I am sure someone with great experience will come along and give you advice.

[feemcg]

Put them in together and go out for the day....every day for a week, so you don't have to watch. The sooner you leave them to get on with it, the sooner it will be sorted. Sounds harsh I know but it's just natural chicken behaviour.

[alih]

It will get better! But only with time. I would leave them separate whilst you are away on holiday but keep ranging them together until then. I have despaired of happy merging too but time is the key. Your neighbour would no doubt rather have a tiny bit more to do than deal with carnage and you need peace of mind while you are away.

 

Bumper bits are great even before you shut them in together - it worked a treat with mine because although the aggression didn't stop, at least I knew they couldn't do any harm. In fact my 2 still have theirs on. The combination of that plus more time free-ranging then putting them in together at night and leavign it a bit longer each morning till you let them out will work wonders.

 

ENjoy your holiday!!

[cordelia]

Take out the top chicken....you need to be sure which this is, and put her in temp accomodation...leaving the second chicken with the two new ones, during the day, and see how they get on.....divide and conquer..thats what we did...

 

so long as your two newbies get along, they can create a new pecking order with the number TWO chicken.....

 

we did this with our 3 and it worked..

 

we had to have the Top hen, alongside the others, as she went mad if she couldnt see them, but after a week on her own, she was nice when she went back....

 

she was still top chicken...but no longer tried to kill the youngest one....

 

(.We used a huge dog crate, with a tarp over the top, with feeder and drinker and straw on the floor...and inside that I had my super large cat basket with my spare plastic roosting bars on the floor, and this was covered over with a blanket and locked to make her fox proof...

at night, letting her out into the huge crate/cage during the day......Best of luck, and dont give up....my husband wanted to, and got quite ratty about our new chook...but it all worked out well.....

[Egluntyne]

You could try the divide and conquer method. halve each group and bung them in with each other. Change them every day. By the end of the week , they will not know which way is up and will get on better, especially if you keep up the free ranging.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Egluntine, this is the probably the best post I've ever read in this forum--out of many excellent ones (and many of the best have been from you).

 

Divide and conquer is a very old idea. Often for sinister purposes, but not always!

[eggalp]

Thanks everyone for the ideas - it makes me feel a lot more positive about the whole situation .

 

I did think about bumper bits, but have been a bit uncertain as im not sure i could get them on! As for removing the top chuck - i don't think i could definately say which hen was my top lady out of the older two. I had a third, Ginger, but she died in March - she was definately the top chuck, but out of the two that are left i can't really tell!!

 

I will try the divide and conquer technique.........just to clarify Egluntine - one older hen and one new hen in one run and the same in the other run? and just keep swapping? Sounds like a good plan to me i would not have thought if this!! Can't wait to get home and try this out for a bit tonight!

 

Thanks again for your help everyone - i will keep you posted, and get some pics on here when they are one happy flock! Thanks for cheering me up!

[Egluntyne]

Yep....that is about the size of it. There will inevitably be some argy bargy, but if you keep blasting the perp with a hose pipe, you will find it works wonders.

[peggotty]

You could try the divide and conquer method. halve each group and bung them in with each other. Change them every day. By the end of the week , they will not know which way is up and will get on better, especially if you keep up the free ranging.

I do like this advice, as although I only have 5 hens they are divided into 3 groups (2 old bossy hens, 2 newbies that run away from old hens, solo hen being taught lesson for not running away from old hens).

 

But I am a bit concerned that if I try mixing and matching various hen combinations between free ranging and their different makeshift accomodation (rabbit run, aviary and cube) it will be me that doesn't know which way is up!

[eggalp]

I have finally plucked up the courage to divide and conquer today. I have seperated the two old hens and two new hens and have put one with each of the other in the seperate runs (hope that makes sense!) I made sure everyone got something to eat this morning and i have come out to work and left them to it! Just hope i still have four hens in one piece when i get home tonight

What shall i do about sleeping arrangements? Put them back to how they were last night (two old ones together and two new ones together) or leave them together in their new pairs?

I will be doing another rotation tomorrow morning and swapping the pairs around again.

thanks again for the help

[SLK69]

Hi,

 

I've had good success with the divide and conquer method - I read something about 'confusing the flock' and I just kept mixing them - day arrangements and night arrangements it was hassle for a week and then I flung them them all in together (well took down the temp fencing)

 

S

 

Don't fret it will all work out.

[redranger]

We had the same problem a few weeks ago when we introduced 3 newbies to our existing 3. Even tho we had only got the original chickens 2 weeks earlier, they were still territorial of their hen house.

 

Read a lot on here, and kept the newbies mostly separate in their own arc, while still letting all 6 birds free range together (only under supervision). After about 4 days, we started putting the newbies into the main hen house at night time when the older chooks were settled in for the night, and more likely to sleep than fight. Then we'd get up early and let them all together out for their morning stretch, before separating them all again into their two groups during the day whilst we were at work.

 

To keep them all on their toes, sometimes we'd put the older birds into the arc and the newbies into the main hen house, sometimes the other way round. After a week and a half, they were all living permanently in the main house and getting on fine

 

Look forward to hearing how you get on!

 

Mike

[chickencam]

I will have to remember this idea when I decice to expand my flock

 

Good luck I hope it works for you. We had trouble introducing 2 white hens to 2 brown ones about 3 months after we got the original 2. We used a hosepipe and bumper bits and eventually a basic harmony was brought about but I wouldn't say they were friends.

 

Bumper bits are ok to fit once you know how. Get someone to hold the hen firmly we find kneeling on the ground with the hen between your legs works well. Then the holder needs to hold the head firmly and the fitter needs to slide the flat part into the beak with the prongs upwards over the top beak then pull the prongs apart and put them into the nostrils.

[redranger]

So how was everything yesterday when you got home to your chickens, eggalp?

[eggalp]

so far so good when i got home last night redranger! There was no sign of any blood - everybody appeared to be quite happy. I let them all out together for a free range and was hoping they might have all gone to bed together in the eglu - my speckled hen who had spent the day in there with an older one went up to the door - had a good look in, but then turned and ran away and the two new ones went into the rabbit hutch together. There was a bit of pecking when i threw some sunflower seeds on the lawn for them - but i guess this is only to be expected my old ones will just have to learn to share!

 

There has been another big swap around this morning and i am looking forward to saturday because i think i will shut them all in the eglu run together for the day and see what happens - but at least i will be around if it turns nasty!

[tara]

Id love to get all of mine together l have 2 big runs one with 5 chooks in and the other has 1 hen and 5 ducks.My friend has all of hers in one big area id love that l have 3 call duck and when l have tryed 1 or 2 of the chickens have attacked 1 of the calls.I also have 2 indian runner ducks.Has any body done this with chickens and ducks.The chicken that lives with the ducks now was an ex battery hen and she has a lovely nature.We have to ex battery girls but 1 died. ????

[jlo]

Thanks for posting this and for all the replies.

 

I am being a bit of a wuss with my two newbies. They are currently in separate accommodation from the old girls and I am supervising free ranging. I know that Egluntine said to only get involved if blood is drawn but it is really difficult not to step in when the pecking takes place - even if it is just show.

 

I would still be a bit nervous about putting my coral in with either of the two older chooks as she is the one that they really go for. Bella the bluebelle is quite large and that may be putting them off doing too much damage.

 

I am reassured by the experience that eggalp is having with the divide and conquer method.

 

I was kind of hoping that after five or so weeks, peace would have broken out but it has not happened yet!

[Space Chick]

I'm getting my 4 new girls from Wernlas in July, and have 3 girls at the moment. Sarah-Jane is a bully to both, and sometimes Rose can be a bit mean to Donna, Donna is a gentle sweetheart.

 

I am considering getting another 2 hybrids aswell as the 4 pure breed Wernlas girls.

 

My decision is:

 

1. Do I introduce the new 4 gradually (although will be a tight squeeze in the rabbit hutch), and then introduce some hybrids after.

 

2. Do I introduce the 4 new girls straight into the flock (and bumper bit Sarah-Jane and Rose)

 

3. Do I introduce the 4 new girls and 2 hybrids straight into the flock working on the principle of 2 new girls to each established girl.

 

I know that some people have tried a "just throw them in" approach, but I want to ensure that all are safe. I can cope if they feel a bit put out at having to share (although they will have a fab new WIR with more space than they've ever had before), but I don't want any injuries.

 

Answers on a postcard.................