Chicken boarders

[Chicken Shirl]

I want one. Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the colour. Could you post a piccie of your silkie hen. I think one of mine has some silkie in her. They have a tuft of feathers on ther heads and aubergine coloured combs. Right! We call her tufty. So happy for you.

[brambles]

She's gorgeous. Does she always have a bath at bedtime?

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Lovely hens!

 

Take time introducing them. It will pay off in the end.

[batcatz]

Hi, thaaaaanks! She is possibly my new favourite. She seems quite sweet. I thought she would be bigger.

 

Here are a couple more photos of her today. She is sweet and does cute wing stretches and little flaps. I can easily pick her up. She seems really young though. Will work out age soon!

 

She does need a bath now haha.

 

 

Just to show size difference between her and the new columbian blacktail:

 

Cute:

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Hetty the silkie for Chicken Shirl:

 

Yeah, I reckon intros will take 2 weeks at least.

[cluckingmad]

she really is adorable - have you decided on names for them yet?

[batcatz]

I was thinking Bianca (from Eastenders) for the columbian as she is a deep brown almost red, and she hit me in the eye with her wing. Nearly gave me a black eye and has tried to peck Hetty and the lavender. Not sure though! Am sure she will be a sweetie when she settles down. She is upset as she came from a big field.

 

No ideas for the lavender yet! hmmmm

[cluckingmad]

Bianca's an excellent name for her, she seems to suit it somehow

 

What about dusty for the aruacana (as is Springfield, thinking of the hair do )

[batcatz]

ahh Dusty is good, but I need something to do with the colour lavender. She still doesn't have a name! I had her inside the house yesterday to show my friend! She sat on our laps and pooed a lot hehe.

[sparkysmum]

Hi Amanda, our Lavender Araucana is called Pompom because of her hair do. We do love her but she is really flighty. She has roosted in the trees before now and consistently roosts on high up bars in the WIR. Enjoy

[Seagazer]

Lovely looking girls, I love the name Bianca for your columbian and the lavender looks so sweet and very tame.

[batcatz]

Ah thanks! Pom Pom is a funny name!

 

One week on and I can let Bianca freerange with the others! She was even dust bathing next to Hetty. They are almost friends yet, but Dotty mainly ignores her and occasionally chases her, but its not violent.

 

I did the introductions slowly, but in short bursts. Seperation of whoever did the peck. After a couple of days I could see that Bianca had accepted her place as below Dotty. then she started chasing Hetty. Then there was a couple of days of rain where I let them out for a very short period (yes I stood in the rain), then I used the chicken wire to keep them seperate for another day or two then yesterday Bianca flew over the chicken wire and they are were all fine together.

 

Not trying to integrated the lavender yet as she is too small. (17 weeks) I'll wait for a few weeks, but she'll be in sight of the others. Am not sure if Bianca and her are even friends yet as they sleep together, but she puts herself to bed in the catbox. I lock it up and then put Bianca in the coop too. I say coop, but its actually the cat run house. haha.

 

I might clip her wings although not sure. I'l have to see if she becomes flightly. She is easy to pick up, and just perches on my hand like a parrot and lets me stroke her. As she is quite happy in the run I'll leave her there. I think she hasn't been outside before. No rush. haha

 

I had to let Bianca out as she was desperate... she came from a field.

 

I'm going to let them out at about 5.30pm tonight and see if Bianca follows them into bed. It will be great if they can sleep together.

 

Pics - sorry I hope this is interesting/useful for people.

 

Wet muddy silkie

Together

Lavender - she knew to stay on the paper

Not flighty at all yet

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Lovely pics, my chooks always take the initiative & start the integration process quicker than I think is prudent at times, but it usually works, so they must know best

 

Sha x

[Plum]

Love the pics. Keep em comeing.

[batcatz]

Just over 2 weeks so update time!

 

I let Dotty, Hetty and Bianca out in the garden everyday. Bianca still chases Hetty a little bit and gives her the odd peck, but she's calming down.

 

She went into the coop to watch Dotty lay an egg. Hetty was also there and it was fine. So funny watching her eyeballing everything.

 

I can put Dotty and Bianca together now. Dotty sometimes pecks Bianca, but its more of a telling off... mainly if Bianca has food.

 

 

I can also put Hetty and the lavender together (still no name sorry) and there's been no pecking between them ever. It was funny the first time as the lavender really stared at Hetty then preened/touched her feathers a couple of times. They look so cute together as they are similar sized. Only thing is Hetty wants to get back to Dotty. ahhhhh

 

Now its time to introduce Lavender to Dotty and try again with Bianca who has pecked her. Lavender still sleeps in the cat box, but in same place as Bianca so they should be friends by now. She is in sight of Dotty too. Just small still.

 

I reckon I could put Bianca with the others now, but don't want the lavender to sleep on her own so will wait for another week or two.

[Plum]

You are doing really well with the introductions. Seems to pay off to do it carefully