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

[doridg]

Hi

 

I became the proud owner of four beautiful point of lay hens three weeks ago, I lost one two days ago so sad, Ive been and got two more beautiful young ladies today I popped them in the coop which has a small run within the main run, they are out there now meeting the old ladies through the wire, Im going to let the ladies into the coop at dusk and hope they settle as they are all quite young and from the same breeder, I feel so nervous hope all goes well.x

[cathybc]

sorry to hear about your girlie, I am sure the others will be fine. Enjoy them! x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

If they're all much the same age, they may well integrate much more easily than a mix of young and old ones would. Fingers crossed for you .

[BeckyBoo]

ooh, good luck. Shame about your other girl, that was sad, still as they're not all that settled themselves yet they might sort themselves out quite quickly. And on the bright side you've ended up with one more than you expected! Hope they have a peacefulday tomorrow

 

 

BeckyBoo

[Guest]

Sorry to hear about your poor hen

 

I think your new two will be fine.

 

I got 2 from Omlet and 3 from somewhere else similar ages and they all stuck in their original groups for a few days but got on really well all the time,no problems. I was expecting a lot of pecking and arguing(very mild bossiness)

 

good luck am sure they will be fine

 

indie

[doridg]

thank you everyone for the advice, all evening my white leghorn flossie tried to peck them through the wire, I think she is at the bottom of the pecking order. when my new girls had gone in the coop I led my other3 in and all seemed well, I went out at 5 this morning and my old 3 were up and out, when my new girls tried to come out flossie flew at them pulled out a feather of one so I stepped in (by the way she ate the feather?) but she would not stop and kept going back for more, so I split them up again, but as the new girls are in the coop with the small run I thought how will my old girls lay their eggs so I put a box with straw in the run, sorry this post is sooooo long!! anyway around 10 my old girls were going mad to get in to the coop I guessed to lay so I let all 3 in and stood back at the ready, what seemed like years my old girls came out, and yes had laid 3 eggs, I would of thought the new girls would of came out while the old girls were occupied laying but they stayed inside so Ive shut the door to the small run again to let the new girls come out and get a drink and some food if they want. this is all sooooo stressful Im not sure if im stepping in to quick to stop flossie as im not sure what is normal establishing the pecking order, but I dont want one of the new girls hurt. x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It is complicated when you have to let some in and some out and not let them be together and so on . Sounds like you're doing the right thing . Feather eating is "normal" but you don't want to encourage it as they can get a taste for it . A bit of pecking and squaring up is OK, I gather, unless they actually look like they could cause an injury when you should step in.