3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[fluffyknickers]

Hi all,

 

last wednesday I got two new bantam girls and put them in the wWIR seperated by wire. There was lots of noise to begin with from the 'old' girls but then settled down and dustbathing etc took place.

 

The new girls (named Saffy and Yoghurt by my children!) are very gorgeous and laid eggs already which have been delicious. I have also been holding them and hand feeding them corn and they make funny little noises.

 

Then yesterday something that has really upset me happened. The new girls are in their own seperate area and have a cat box with lots of bedding in where they go at night. I went outside to check the box for eggs and to check the new girls and looked inside and it was full of splattered blood and an egg. I was really shocked and upset and picked up each bantam and checked them over and found it probably came from one of the girls combs. What I assume has happened is one of the old girls got in the area by flying over and went in the box whilst she was laying and pecked at her and drew blood and lots of flapping, then got back in 'her side'.

 

I had just bought some pecking spray which said it also had healing/anti bac in it so i sprayed a bit on the area I think was bleeding (it had stopped).

 

I have now placed more netting and wire in from floor to ceiling in the WIR to ensure they dont mix and is totally secure.

 

This has really upset me as I dont want the new girls being frightened or hurt and seeing the blood was awful. Plus I now wondering if theyll ever mix and I was clearly wrong to have tried to introduce new girls and have myself to blame and feel very guilty.

 

I am too scared to try them mixed together even after a number of weeks I wont be sure that it wont happen. Which all means I will have to re-home the new girls somehow.

 

Michelle

[Chucky1]

Hi Michele

 

Don't feel too bad. It sounds as if there was was no long term damage done.

 

Our little darlings can be vicious at times can't they.

 

Give it time, I'm sure things will improve. If all seems well, after a couple of weeks trying letting them meet while you stand guard with a water pistol (power soakers are best )

 

Good Luck

[MummyHen]

Michelle

 

I feel for you - something similar happened to my Dorrit by one of the Orpingtons; it was just nasty and shocking.

 

Only time will tell if they'll get along - I hope so.

Just have to persevere and see how they go in a few weeks - as Chucky 1 says a gentle intro in a few weeks and get a water pistol

 

 

Rachel

[coco]

Don't give up yet. When I got my ex batts Lily and Lola they bullied my other girls terribly and I wondered if I had done the right thing as I felt really bad that my original girls were being bullied, even though they had been living next to each other for a few weeks. They have all been together for five months now and get along fine. Give it time and they should all get along. I find that my smallest chook just gives the bigger girls the runaround [when shes not broody].

[quickcluck]

It's very early days.... look at it as a warning to go more slowly. I am sure your baby is ok, just a bit flustered, and that your new netting with do the tricky.

 

Have you tried contactly Janty??? She was very helpfull when I was thinking about getting some bantees, as hers live in perfect harmony with alsorts!

[scarlettohara]

I have a rabbit run you could borrow - I'm in St Albans.

 

Sara x

[Tweety]

As already said, it is very early days and you have been very unlucky so don't give up just yet! I have bantams and big girls living together very happily, and the secret is definitely slow introductions. You have done the right thing by making sure that the big girls can't get at the bantams but can see them, and it is now just a question of time. I kept my latest 2 bantams separate from but within sight of the others for about 4 weeks before letting them free-range together under strict supervision. 3 weeks on they seem to be fine.

[Seagazer]

Don't give up yet. I've just come through the intro bit and I must admit to wanting to get rid of my nasty older girls as they were so horrid to the newbies. I think you think of the new ones as babies and can't stand the thought of them being bullied. I must admit it didn't help that my new girls are so tame and friendly making my oldies seem even worse.

 

Everytime I mixed them together they would just attack one of the girls (my poor white one) but now we're a few weeks on and they seem to get along much better. There's a bit of pecking and chasing but its the old girls putting the new ones in their place. Just take it little steps at a time. Mine seem to have settled in together now that they are all laying.

 

I did say to my hubby and to Reikiranf that I wasn't going to do any more introductions, I would just wait until they all die and then start again as I found it so stressfull. Mind you the garden has never looked so good as I spent so long out there keeping the peace.

[jennydavies]

I used the hose on our Ginger when she picked on Blanche. I also held her down (very gently) to let her know that I am boss. Now all is well and happy, all four of them snuggle together at night and it's chicken heaven in the hen-house. Don't give up, be patient and put the bad event out of your mind, all will settle down with a bit of time.

[Woodcat]

hey

 

Don't give up yet It's unfortunate it happened however the chicken won't even remember the incident in a couple of days. If it's really worrying you then i would leave them separate but able to see each other for a couple of weeks and then try it slowly again. When i've had young ones who had to be kept separate for ages before they could go in with others i've found that they intro with really minimal problems. It's so easy for them to cut their combs and when they do the bleed so badly it may not have even been one of your other girls it might have been a bit of wood or some wire or even jumping to get up on a perch badly. Don't give up hope yet