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Advice needed on introducing a couple of new hens! UPDATE!

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We would love to get a couple of new chicks to add to our existing flock of two. Someone we know has some ready in a couple of weeks, a couple of black rocks. We've got an Eglu inside a large WIR which we've recently had built so there's tons of room for everyone :) Just not sure how to go about the introductions as we don't have a spare house, only got the Eglu run which we obviously don't use now we've got the WIR. Any suggestions please? The guy we're getting them from has loads and he seems to think they'll be alright all in together, he says there will probably be a few s"Ooops, word censored!"s at first, but then should sort themselves out. Obviously we don't want any casualties :(and don't want to upset Lottie and Pecks, so some advice would be much appreciated :D

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a seperate house and run is the best way to go then take the intro's slowly

check out the numerous threds on here about intro's it took my lot best part of six weeks to 2 months from when I put them together until they became 1 flock and that was after nearly 4 months after I got my 3 youngters

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Agree, taking your time is best. I would make a divider in the run for during the day. You may manage with them sleeping together. Some people have been lucky introducing them really quickly but there can be real problems.

 

I think it's best to keep them seperate to begin with in case of disease. It gives you time to check them over. :D

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slow and steady wins the race :wink:

you could put the eglu run in the wir and attatch some sort of temporary housing at the other end, so the girlies can all live together but with that added bit of safety. The original girls can then get to know the newbies and vice versa. This may speed up the introductions slightly but i do think the introduction period shouldn't be any shorter than 10 days, just to be safe.

 

When you feel comfortable they are settled in, after the introduction period, put them in the house with the other hens at night and you should be away.

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Well my new girls arrived last weekend, two more Black Rocks. :D Lottie & Pecks, our existing two, are not impressed at all! :roll: They seem insanely jealous and hell bent at getting at the new ones to peck at them and chase them round the WIR. The poor new ones, Bettie and Violet, are scared to death and try and hide (they're only about 16 weeks old). The great builder (also our neighbour) who built our WIR has been over and carried out a conversion to the run complete with new little temporary wooden house, so that Bettie and Violet can get some peace. Lottie & Pecks are in the penthouse, and the newbies on ground :D When the weather better and they can free range a bit together, hopefully they will learn to love each other! :D Got a feeling this may take time .......

 

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Well my new chooks, Bettie and Violet have finally been accepted I think :D After 3 weeks of shouting at each other through the partition in the run, squabbling when in together for a short time, and lots of running after each other whilst free ranging, yesterday they spent the whole day in the WIR together. By the end of the day they were all sitting perched on the bench, still in pairs, but looking much more at ease with each other. Later on they put themselves to bed in their separate houses.

 

Today they were in all together again and tonight I was amazed to find that all four of them were tucked up in the Eglu together, very quiet and peaceful :D

 

Just hope it lasts .........

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New hens and old were all out together yesterday for a short time … Bobby (ex-batt) intends to continue as top hen, and went round pecking all the other hens on the head (bar ex-batts Bridget and Yoda). I had a walking stick with me, so every time she pecked someone, I poked her, until she was so fed up she took herself off to the run with her sidekick Bridget. I know they have to fight it out at some stage, but I don’t think there’s any harm in reminding them I am top hen myself!

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Well now I've got my partitioned off bit in the run, it would be a shame not to use it again for the purpose it was built for ............. :wink: Don't you think? :)

 

Good luc beulah, hope they have a peaceful night ... :) Ours put themselves to bed all together again tonight and OH went up not long ago with the torch and they all seemed happy and cosy. I'm so pleased :D

 

Oh and I forgot to thank everyone who gave me advice :D

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They continue to have a few spats from time to time ... but all in all, I'm happy it's gone well! One of the Rhode Rocks didn't come down the ramp however ... not sure she knew how to ... she's the bottom of the heap so perhaps the others didn't let her? Anyway, I lifted her down and I'll keep an eye on her.

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