Poorly chicken

[MadAboutChooks]

Let me Introduce my new girls

 

Top and bottom Noodles and Chilli both Columbines

and middle Margo an Orpington

 

I am hoping that someone can put my mind at rest, I am concerned that the orpington is bigger than all in my original flock and am hoping that this isnt going to be a problem when Introducing them. The original 3 are seperated within the WIR from the new 3. She is picking on the babies at the moment, but only in a bossy way, not too nasty. However I think she feels she is going to be top chook! as has fronted up to my other 3 through the fencing and by her manner I can tell that she is going to take them on and probably because of her size will win. Margo is my husbands choice, and he only agreed to having the WIR etc on the condition that he chose a chicken. I would have picked one more or less the same size as the others. Do you think this is going to cause a problem.

[Chicken Shirl]

They are lovely girls. Congratulations on your new arrivals.

 

I have not got the experience to answer your question, but someone will be along to put your mind at rest I'm sure.

[Laura & CTB]

Congratulations - your girls look lovely!

 

I've got two newbies at the moment and they are both huge cochins, one is aiming to be third out of sixth place in the pecking order and the other is going to be bottom - quite funny really as my top chicken is Stella - a tiny weeny nothing of her white star I would say it's all down to individual temperament of the chook rather than size.

[scarlettohara]

I've just got 3 new girls - 2 bluebelles and a silverlink. The bluebelles are huge compared to my original 3 and although they have only met through the eglu run my little chook Scarlett has already squared upto biggest bluebelle. Going to fr them together tomorrow - should be interesting

[MadAboutChooks]

How long have you had your new chooks scarletohara? I have had mine 1 week do you think it is too soon to FR them together?

[Plum]

I would play it by ear and if there is problems either use the squirter or shut them up again. At first I put the omlet netting between them and glad I did but I wasn't aware of the water technique then. There was a bit of 'trying to terrify the newbies' but when I got them eating off my hand through the net together I let them together in the garden.

It was quite frustrating because the two groups just kept to completely different areas of the garden

 

Good luck hope it goes well.

[scarlettohara]

How long have you had your new chooks scarletohara? I have had mine 1 week do you think it is too soon to FR them together?

 

I got them on Tuesday and they have been in next to the since then - older girls have fr around them but on Wednesday the Bluebelles escaped when I was cleaning the run I spent 15 mins trying to catch (used a big net in end ) and they met the others in this time, Scarlettt gave them both a quick peck and the others ignored them completely. I don't see huge problems but will stay with them to sort out any squabbles, if it goes well I thought I would pop them in to sleep in the cube but remove them in the am. I have basically followed the intro guide from here.

 

Good luck with yours

[Falkor]

I am with Plum. When beginning to FR as a group, some kind of division is the way I always go...get them used to sharing the space but unable to get at eachother completly. But that is step three for me

 

Feeding stations along the divisions are helpful too as everybody twigs (in the end) that there is enough food to go round.

 

Regarding the Orp size question I am not sure there is a simple answer and as said previoulsy it is probably down to individual mentality. I have introduced 2 hybrids (amber and bluebelle) to my original orps over the space of about 6 weeks with very few problems. I got a CLB and buffy Orp pre-POL and the CLB was used as a feather buffet by the Orp as the CLB was silly enough to sit there and let her but there was no argy bargy between the two...until it came to introducing them to the hybrids but it was the bluebelle that took exception to the newbies.

 

I have bantams and LF orps that free range together quite happily (have seperate and runs) so size doesn`t necessarily have to be a factor although I think I am quite lucky as my two original Orps are top chooks 1 and 2 and they keep the ship running very smoothly in their laid back and docile manner. Plus this introduction has been going since July last year and we are not fully intergrated and may never be.

 

Slow and sensible introductions are the way to go (my quickest being 4 weeks my longest being about 16 weeks)

 

Second in command, Old Speckled Hen, Orp and Shiou, Japanese

[ISCA]

I have 2 Orps, in a flock of 6. They all arrived together 2 weeks ago. One is definately bottom chook, quite nervy and timid. The other started out as a loner for a few days but now thinks she is top chook as she loves to run at the others from the other side of the run and scare the eeby jeebies out of the them They, being so much smaller, have to run for fear of getting squished She is the one most likely to come over to me when I am in the run.

 

I think they will sort themselves out and I agree, I don't think the size of the hen per se influences who is top chook. I have heard of several people who have flocks with both large fowl and bantams in it and the top chook is a bantam.

 

Napoleon Bonaparte was a tiny man and he was definately the boss...well for a while.

[MadAboutChooks]

Hi, Have just let them all out together to FR for the first time. To my utter amazement, Margo the big Orp did not pick any fights, instead wanted to mix with the old ones, (think she is sick of the babies!) However they were having none of it and saw her off. However no major squabbles, just a bit of chasing and pecking. All in all I think it went well. Phew!!Thought I might let them FR together for an hour or so every day for about a week, then all being well maybe put them all in together Or do you think this is too soon.

[scarlettohara]

That great news Mine were fine too - at one point they were all in the eglu run together - think the new girls were having a house-warming I'm going to keep fr for a couple of days and see how they go.

[MadAboutChooks]

That sounds like a good plan, scarlottohara, glad it went well for you too.I intend to do the same, I am hoping that it wont be too long before they can all live happily ever after in the WIR, it is really difficult with a division in the middle at the moment, every time I need to get to the otherside it is a major manover!. I see you had problems getting them back into their run as well, my oldies just come when I call them and rattle a packet of grapes the newbies just stand there, am hoping that they will follow the lead of the others and learn to come when called. It makes putting them away sooooo much easier!!

[scarlettohara]

I've cooked a load of spaghetti and they went mad for it - I put it in a bowl in the hope that they will recognise it again