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

[eggalp]

after a week of divide and conquer and a day all togerther today i have left my new hens in the run with the old two tonight hoping that they will all go to bed together. the older ones have been in bed for about 30 mins but the new ones are still up. Im panicking incase they dont go in - what do i do then? do i try and gently shove them in with a broom or do i try and get them out of the run back into their own house? im really worried................

[Egluntyne]

I'd opt for the broom now that you have got this far.

 

Set your alarm early though, in case of early morning squabbles.

[eggalp]

i took them out in the end.........i chickend out! they tried to go into the eglu but my older residents wouldn't let them in - so i took the younger ones out and put them into their rabbit hutch as they were starting to panic!

 

Any tips for tomorrow?

 

Does it have to be completly dark if im going to put them in with the others through the side door? My older hens had been in bed for about an hour and they still had a good peck and stopped the new ones from going in but it wasn't totally dark.

[Electricbarbarella]

I have been doing this for months with my ex batts,. I get them in the run then I chicken out and put them back on their own, I bit the bullet last week and left them I said to myself I would leave them for 2 days unless there was bloodshed. There is still a bit opf squablling but they are fine. It is lovely to see them all together. Good luck and be brave.

[motherchuck]

What a coincidence, I, too left my two newbies with my 'bad girls' last night hoping they would all go into the eglu together. After dark I found one newbie sitting outside near the door, too frightened to go in with others. I closed the door on the eglu and persuaded the newbie to go in her rabbit hutch. Then I picked her up, put her through the nest box door and left them in darkness. Just before going to bed I very carefully opened the eglu door ready for the morning, but all four seemed quite settled. All was reasonably peaceful when I got up this morning after all four had let themselves out at dawn. I wonder if they will all go in tonight..........watch this space! Good luck for tonight!