Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[Laura & CTB]

I got my two new girls yesterday and they are both in a seperate run from the other girls. I thought they would team up together and be friends but no way - Guinevere is bullying Eleanor so that she now wont come out of the eglu.

 

Any suggestions please - should I chance putting them all together?

[Space Chick]

I wouldn't put them in together Laura, as the bullied one is likely to be more bullied

 

However, you could try a peaceful girl in with them, as she may put the bully in her place. However, I would only try this if you can stand guard and whip the old girl out if it gets nasty.

[chelsea]

I would leave it for a bit to be honest. The will soon settle, getting used to each others smells etc. Maybe next weekend you could try a bit of supervised free ranging and take it slowly from there.

[Laura & CTB]

thanks for your replies, I was panicking a bit earlier!

 

Have put the newbies in the big run while the others are in the garden, this has given them a lot more space and things are a bit calmer - at least Eleanor has more places to run. I hope they call a truce soon.

 

The other girls have spent the last hour investigating the temporary run

 

Oh and one of the new girls has laid an egg

[Falkor]

oooh glad things are getting better Laura

[chickyhazel]

When we got Cracker to accompany Noodle (our chicken of fate!) Noodle bullied Cracker dreadfully. But after a few days of patient and patrolling with a water sprayer, they became best friends. We have just started free-ranging Cracker and Noodle with our old girls and Noodle is protecting Cracker from them, so I presume eventually yours will become friends too. Squirting the pecking chicken with water helps deter them, it's always worked for us.

[Laura & CTB]

Thanks Chickyhazel

 

I guess I was just so shocked when they didnt get along straight away! They've spent the day in the big run so at least Eleanor has been able to escape, not much improvement when they went to bed but I've sprayed them both with tea tree and have decided to let them have the big run for the rest of the week - other girls will get the run of the garden.

 

Maybe at the weekend I'll try a bit of free ranging together and see what happens.