jackthelad Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Can you help please I currently have just 1 bluebelle chicken in my eglu as I lost my polish a week ago and came home yesterday to find my silkie also gone not a good week But nice OH said we could get 2 new ones over weekend, the problem is I cant find a place that has both a silkie and a polish available so they will have to come from 2 different places. Hoping to pick up a polish tomorrow and silkie sunday but how do I introduce them to my already 13 week old bluebelle? I have read the posts on intros but I haven't got 3 different pens and runs, shall I try the 2 newbie together apart from the bluebelle, chuck them all in together and hope for the best, will the bluebelle notice its a different silkie it will look the same!! I'm new to this only had chickens for 5 weeks and its been a bad start loosing 2 so hoping this intro isn't going to be too upsetting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Jackthelad, what a nightmare week RIP little girls and {{hugs}}to you.... However, my first thought after condolence is what caused these two girls to die so soon after you got them......had they been ill and had you had a vet involved who might have been able to cast a reasonable idea as to the cause........personally I'd be a bit wary to introduce any others if I was unsure as to the cause incase the Bluebelle is harbouring the same as the other girls then passes it on inadvertently..........have you been in touch with the breeder, four weeks after you get them is quite soon to lose the first chook, then the second after another week . Someone more knowledgeable in the ways of chook & their illnesses is bound to come along very soon & I'm happy to be ignored as a worry wart Fingers crossed that your luck improves quickly Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I agree with WM try and find out what caused it, but you can't really keep a hen on her own If you did get them from different places try and do it on the same day and put them all together in a new place to them all so no-one has an advantage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 So sorry to hear about your sad start to keeping chickens. You have been very unlucky to lose 2 girls like that - do you know the cause of death? Is your Bluebelle ok? It may be a good idea to contact the breeder you got them from. I think that you could put the 2 new girls together in a separate run next to the Bluebelle, and then follow the advice on introductions which is available on the forum. Even though you will be getting them one day apart, the one you get first will not really have had time to settle down before the second one arrives and, as long as they are similar sizes and ages, they should be ok after initial skirmishes. It may help if you wait until evening to introduce the 2nd new girl ,when the first has gone to bed, as they will be more docile then. Good luck - I really hope that all goes well for you with your new girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackthelad Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 The polish was taken to the vet and she said she wasn't a well chicken as she was very thin (although she had been eating and drinking fine from what I had seen) , became quiet in herself stayed sat in the eglu the morning she became unwell and mouth breathing and ive no idea with the silkie she was fine when let her out before work yesterday fell out of the eglu as usual in a rush at about 7am but my husband found her lay on her side about 10am in the run unable to stand, took her to the vets at 5.30pm and she died while we were waiting in the waiting room at the vets, I was gutted..... vet didn't really comment They had become so much part of the family in just 4/5 weeks. I bought them all at 8wks old although the bluebelle has been twice the size I was guessing she was a little older although I know she is a bigger chicken, might be my fault for taking them so young ive no idea. Im not giving up I am going across to the breeders tomorrow to have a chat she is aware of whats happened via a 3rd party but I haven't spoken to her yet Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Hi jackthelad- did the vet prescribe anything for either hen? Polands and Silkies are quite delicate and prone to genetic problems. Either way if they were healthy when you got them they shouldn't have keeled over. Is it possible they had a cold/chest infection? My Polands have had a bad time over the last month with colds but the vet has been superb and prescibed anti-b's and they are ( fingers crossed ) fine. I would agree you do need to know why the others died, but then again, you can't leave a hen alone. What a dilemma! Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
