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Patricia W

Long term integration problem

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Some of you might remember my marathon integration which took all of 9 months to get Babs and Joy accepted by the trio of Phillip, Phillipa and Teddie. The mojor problem was the severe bullying of Babs. Well, after a period of stability the targeting of Babs seems to have started again - this time by the other 4. Even Phillip who I assumed would stop squalbbling between them. He's under the claws of Mrs Phillip the first and second - Teddie and Phillipa.

 

It has got to the stage where last week I thought she was ill as she refused to come out of the nest box all day. I took her in, fed her up on yougurt, tuna etc and she perked up. So I put her back by herself ( in case she had something catching) and she was fine. So over the weekend she has rejoined the flock, but by last night I had to intervene and have got her by herself again as she isn't eating - even though there are several food and water stations around. Now I know the received wisdom is to isolate the bully, but when I try that the other one takes over and so on....

 

Any ideas? I'm seriously thinking of getting another couple of younger ones ( POL) and putting them in with Babs. But ideally would prefer to integrate her.

 

Tricia

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oh dear, having had a severe bullying problem I understand how awful it is.

I can just tell you what helped me.

basically more space in my WIR and a friend for my bullied girl.

I thought having a boy was supposed to stop these problems too :(

In my run there are LOTs of places to get up, under behind etc.

I would personally take your sweetest natured girl out with her and hope they bond....

When you are separating is it separate togetherness as taking them right apart will probably make it worse.

What sort of run are they in.?

It will help for making suggesting.

I think your idea of getting 2 more as friend s for her is good if you have the space, and if you do have the sace there will no doubt be lots of suggestions for helping the bullying too. :)

good luck, it IS horrid I know.

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Thanks for both these suggestions. They free range in an enclosure about 50ft by 30 ft with lots of bushes, shelters etc to get away from each other so space is not the issue. I tried the divide approach last night and put Joy back with her as they do still hang out together at times. However she was so spooked she even ran panic stricken into the run sides ( she was in the spare eglu and standard run) and I had to take Joy out. I've had them back together from about 6 this morning. It's not as bad as it was, but they only have to look at her and she runs away.

 

Sod's law is that I'm out all day in a few minutes so I'm thinking I'll pop her back in the run - just in case... They can see her and she can see them. I'll let them all out together tonight and see how we get on.

 

Yes, Egluntyne, an excuse for more chickens! Just as I'd promised - for the second time this year- that I wouldn't!!

 

Tricia

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Just a thought - are you sure Babs isn't being picked on because she is unwell? With you saying that she wouldn't come out and isn't eating well? Worth seperating her for a little longer and reworming and feeding her up a bit, see how she gets on.

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no space is not an issue is it :?

how about a water pistol?

everytime someone is mean sqiurt them.

I know it is not an easy fix and requires time.

can you split the run and not use the Eglu run?

wondering if she felt trapped more in there with Joy? she probably feels threatened even when not now, my girls seemed to make it worse with her panicy behaviour too.

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Some chickens seem doomed to never get on I'm afraid. I went from one group of bantams to two groups of bantams five years ago when I added three newbies. I couldn't bear watching one of them being constantly harrassed and permanently scared, so I got a second ark, split that bit of the garden into two and harmony reigned.

 

The only problem with this solution was that once you have two separate groups, you might as well have three ..... or four ...... or !!!!!! :P

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I ended up putting Babs by herself in the spare eglu and put in plenty of food as I don't think she is eating as much as the others as a result of the bullying. Or you might be right, Jools, she isn't as strong or as well as the others and so is being picked on- viscious circle really.

 

I got back just after 7 and let her out with them all and armed myself with the hose. However, all was well and she is now in bed with them. I'm inclined to separate her out again tomorrow ( I'm out all day again). This way, I'm sure she is eating. But I'll keep putting her back to sleep with them and we'll see how it goes....

 

Chickens!

 

Tricia

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