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

[Leicester_H]

Hi

As posted on other forum, Ckikki died this morning - can't write about that now BUT have to decide what to do for Boo as she is on her own now. Couldn't bare to let her go.

 

I assume she'll be OK for a week or so ??

 

Boo is approx 2 1/2 - chikki was very much top chicken.

 

They were let out most afternoons (probably 5or 6 days a week - depending on the weather) to free range (except when we're on holiday - say 3 weeks a year). They only had an hour or so, but they usually returned to the run before we made them - so they seemed to get enough free ranging.

 

So could we get 2 POL newbies ? Would there be a problem putting them straight in with Boo (under watchful eyes)?

We only have an eglu and a standard run - and don't really want to increase this.

 

Any suggestions/advice would be gratefully recieved?

 

Thanks, H

[The Dogmother]

I'd definitely suggest that you get her some friends quickly - she will pine away otherwise. See if you can borrow (or blag via freecycle) some alternative housing for the introductions.

 

See here for instructions on introductions.

 

Enjoy your new chooks.

[Patricia W]

So sorry about your loss. But, yes, do get her some friends quickly. It's likely she will be top chook - but take time with the introductions. If you can put the two new ones where she can see them that helps.

 

Where do you live? Someone may know of accommodation you can borrow for a while.

[Leicester_H]

Where do you live? Someone may know of accommodation you can borrow for a while.

 

Oadby - Leicester.

 

That would be great if anyone could

 

H

[Olly]

so sorry to hear that, and I agree - new friends would be best. It's a bit fiddly but you can manage introductions with (say) a spare Eglu run if you could borrow one, and a cat-box for nesting purposes, putting the new chooks in the Eglu at night and taking them out in the morning. Any sort of secure run would do - a dog-crate maybe?

[The Dogmother]

I once used a dog crate withh a cat box inside; I rigged up a tarp over the top and it worked very well.

[Leicester_H]

I once used a dog crate withh a cat box inside; I rigged up a tarp over the top and it worked very well.

Hi

Yes - that is our current plan. We have a small dog crate - that should be OK for a limited time. At the weekend, we'll look at how to secure it to the end of the run , so that we can then partition the run with some sticks so they can't mix yet.

Going to Merryvale tonight so see which we like the look of, with a view to getting them next week.

Meanwhile, giving Boo a LOT of extra attention.

Does anyone think 3 in an eglu, standard run and (limited) free ranging (as described above) would NOT be OK ??

 

Thanks everyone, H

[The Dogmother]

That number with a standard run is fine Hazel; they will always make you feel guilty for not letting them out... that's what chooks do!

[teri]

sorry to hear about your loss.

we lost one of our chickens due to an overly inquisitive dog and a forgetful daughter about a week after we got them. the chicken in question belonged to my younger daughter who was fortunatley out at the time. the following morning i managed to buy an almost identical chicken which had to go straight in with the others.

they were free ranging and the replacement came from a much larger group of easily twenty birds. i think the space and the drop in competition suited her because their was no sign of any agression from any of them. i think it also helped that the other chickens were only just settling in and were still only about 20 weeks old...my daughter still does not know that her chicken is actually Beauty #2.

i think if your remaining chicken is used to company she will quickly accept a few new friends.

good luck with the introductions {{{{hugs}}}}} to help with your loss x

[louiser]

Hi Hazel,

We've just been in a very similar situation. Had 2 chickens in an eglu with a standard run & a smallish garden that they free-range in when we're not out at work.

One of the chickens sadly snuffed it early last week - the one that was more friendly & that the remaining one (Pepper) always looked to to see what was the 'thing to do'.

Pepper was distraught, crowing most of the day, constantly pecking on the windows and generally being slightly demented.

 

We bought a couple of new POLs as soon as we could (the following Sat morning) as it was obviously not good for Pepper to be on her own. As it was all at short notice, we didn't have time to organise spare accommodation or schedule time off work to supervise the complicated integration process that is recommended on this site.

 

We let Pepper out to roam & put the 2 new chickens into the pod for an hour, then let them out into the run. There was a little disgruntlement from Pepper initially but she seemed generally fine with the concept of new friends. When Pepper was ready to make a move for bed in the late evening, we opened up the run door & let her go in & say hello under supervision. There were a couple of pecks but nothing too vicious - the plan that they'd all be too docile by that time of day seems to have worked). With a little jostling they all settled into the pod for the night & have managed to rub along together since.

 

We were recommended to stroke diluted vinegar onto the backs of all the birds to dampen their individual scents. When I tried to do this, I wasn't quick enough on my feet & one of the new birds lept out & around the garden. I got it back into the run fairly quickly with a bit of apple bridery, & having done so, decided that they'd be ok being let out to free-range the next day. (We'd kept the first set in for a week before doing this.)

 

As soon as there was a murmur from the eglu the next morning (Sun) we let all 3 of them out so that they had lots of room to avoid each other if they needed it. A week on now & they seem to have all settled in nicely. There's no doubt a bit of shuffling to be done in the pecking order - particularly as the bigger breed chicken grows up - but fingers-crossed there won't be any serious fights.

 

Maybe we got off lightly (every bird's got a different temperament) but I would try this process again if faced with the same situation. We probably had a convenient balance with one grown up established bird vs 2 much younger incomers (albeit one of them quite a large breed).

 

Best of luck with your new ones & let us know how it goes....