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

[helen5848]

I don't know if there is a solution to this one - just wondering if anybody has any ideas or has had similar problems?

Briefly I got my three original ladies approx feb of this year - they are housed in a special chicken hut - with a large homemade run attached.

In March of this year I was bought two bantam hens for my birthday and things were going great.

UUnfortunately we don't know exactly what type of bantam hens these were and they are gradually growing bigger and bigger - they are only a bit smaller now than my full size hybrids.

Unfrotunately this means that they are gradually out growing their accomodation - which was purposely made smaller than my other set up because they were apparently bantams. They are going to need their accomodation and run extending very shortly.

This is where the first problem begins - I am not brave enough to try and mix the bantams with my hybrids - and it would make the hybrids accomodation a bit cramped if i tried to, but I simply can't spare any more garden to entend the bantams run. This in turn then leads to my second problem - my bantams are becoming slightly bored of their run (i think) and so whenever I dare step into my back garden they begin to chatter (as if to draw my attention to them! - it is only a fairly quiet chatter) but then upon hearing this my hybrids quickly join in and this generally results in one of my hybrids starting to shout quite loudly.

With the glorious summer on it's way - I need to get into my garden more and I can't risk subjecting my neighbours to this whenever I step into my garden. I have purposely stopped feeding treats during the day so that they are not shouting and expecting this (they get their mash and treats first thing now). At the moment for the sake of peace and quiet I am purposely avoiding my back garden. If I can't come up with a solution quickly I fear that I may have to rehome the two bantams - any ideas? I have tried all the poular ideas - such as hanging treats and toys etc to no avail.

 

thanks (sorry it's a bit of a long one!)

[Woodcat]

If you can it might be an idea to post a picture of your set up so that we can have a look at it and make informed suggestions.

 

You say you've tried hanging food up have you tried putting platforms or branches in? Or one of those treat balls they have to kick around. Also could you extend the run in a sort of tempery way with somthing like omlet netting? This would give them more space when your around and they are noisy but you could take it down when you want to use that area?

 

The only other suggestion i can think of is if you can't extend their run along could you extend it up? give them an extra floor so to speak.

 

Anyway good luck

[helen5848]

thanks woodcat - i hadn't thought of the extending up idea (i think they'll quite like a few more storeys!). i'll see about taking a picy of my garden and uploading it.

I'd quite happily donate my entire garden to the hens - i don't hink my oh would be too happy with giving up any more though - especially as a large chunk is already taken up with a super sized bird aviary, to be honest the noise issue is as much of a problem and if my guess that boredom is causing it turns out to be wrong - i don't known what else i will be able to do!

[helen5848]

another thing I should probably add is that my bantams appear to be fast approaching point of lay - is this any explanation for their current vocalness? if so will this all calm down once they do actually begin laying?

[Falkor]

My lot each got more vocal as they were approaching lay so that maybe it. Two of mine are more or less silent (apart from egg anouncing) but the other two remain very chatty.

 

Do your chooks free range at all? Could the noise be that both groups want to investigate the other? We can see you but don`t know anything about you type thing? Maybe they really want to be mixed? Although some think that bantams and hybrids shouldn`t mix, but as you said your bantams are nearly as big as your big girls.

[Olly]

They could calm down a bit when they start laying.

 

If they're really nearly as big as the hybrids, I'd be tempted to merge the two flocks. It's hard work to begin with, but it can be done and that would probably reduce the shouting (in the long run!).

[quickcluck]

I'm with Olly on this one!!!! It might be worth merging them. I know it's a lengthy stressfull process but worth it in the end.

 

I've just intoduced 2 to 6 and that took 4-5 weeks, the most stressful was the first bit and thats when they first clapped eyes on eachother which yours have already done

[helen5848]

My dad keeps saying exactly the same thing - i.e that both should be mixed together in a supersized run. What do you all mean when you refer to hard work? I am very concerned about noise - having already had an unrelated noise run in with my neighbour previously - is this likely to result in a large amount of noise as they all get used to each other?

[Woodcat]

hey

 

 

It's more timeconsuming than noisy. There is a bit on intros here viewtopic.php?f=42&t=25886. That gives you the basic info.

 

Good luck

 

beth

[quickcluck]

Everybodies chooks are different, If you can manage a 'supersize' run GO FOR IT, they will live together happily and the stress is less

[Olly]

It's 'hard work' in the sense that it's quite stressful, but as yours have already seen each other half the battle is done. Find the FAQ on here about introductions, and follow the guidance there e.g. feeding them treats along the perimeter line of the run so they get used to eating together without being able to have a full battle.

 

It just takes time and it can be difficult to watch if there is a bit of squabbling, but I think it would be worth it.

[quickcluck]

That's exactly what we did Olly. The only noise was when they first clapped eyes on each other....... we left them separate but in visual contact for 2 weeks feeds treats along the ajoining fence.

 

Then we had supervised open house for a week, supervised by adults armed with water pistols! There was a fair bit of bickering but largely we left them to their own devises unless they were doing physical damage.

 

then we started the play time later in the day leaving them alone for small periods and seeing what they did at bed time. After 3 nights they all went to bed together and we separated them in the mornings for a day or so, and now they are fine - 4-5 weeks all in!

 

it will be fine