Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[S & S]

Hi.

 

After loosing Jennifer a few weeks ago to peritonitas i went and got Dawn a new friend, (blue Marran)

I kept new friend (name pending!!! ) in a completley seperate run but within view for a week, allowed Dawn to free range around her, all looked good.

 

After this i moved new friend into Dawns wir but still seperated, i put her in a large dog crate thingy with rabbit hutch attached, Dawn was not impressed with this at first and launched herself at new friend trying to peck her through bars, she settled down after a few days though. So after a week i let them both out to free range, i thought all would be good!, I think i made the mistake of feeding them corn whilst out, i thought this would distract dawn but i think it made her a bit possesive of HER corn, she chased new friend back into her run she was on top of her firmley attached to her feathers and aiming for her head , think i was more scared than new friend.

 

Any way that was last week, i tried again today aimed with water pistal! and no corn, as soon as dawn saw that new friend was out she went straight for her, i managed to stop her getting to her a give her a quick spray with water which seemed to make her stop and think, and kept them like this for about half an hour but i had to keep between them, dawn went off on her own in the end.

 

Just feels like this is never going to work and i feel mean for keeping the new girl in a small space , I'm worried about letting them out together again its a bit scary!!, would dawn seriously damage the new one???

 

OMG looks like ive just written an essay! Sorry

 

Is any one else haiving as much trouble as me.

[Chick-a-doodle-doo]

hi

 

When I have introduced my girls I have put them in straight away.

 

It may just be a natural pecking order they have to go through once they are put together. It didn't take my girls long to sort it out, although the first night my girls stayed out on their perches in protest whilst the new girls went in!

 

I hope it gets better for them both.

[WitchHazel]

It will sort itself out. After about 3 weeks, peace will break out.

 

One of ythe hardest things I find is the letting the pecking orfer sort itself out. It's horrible to watch, but it is very natural. You've done really well being patient with your intros. Be on hand to intevene if it looks like blood will be drawn, but try and let them get on with it if possible.

[Egluntyne]

Might be worth trying to get them to share treats. When the bolshy one realises that there is enough to go round she might come to her senses.

[S & S]

thanks for replies,

I have there feeders next to each other and sprinkle corn for them both next to each other, although they are still seperate.

 

I will let them out together again this afternoon, and try and let them get on with it a bit

will let you know how it goes.

 

thanks

[Plum]

S & S, I've found treats make mine worse. Pigeon never has learned there is enough to go round so I find that feeding them pellets or something relatively boring from my hand got them eating together. You may find that calms things a bit but brings them together

[sadietoo]

I swapped mine from pellets onto layers mash, and then they spent so much time eating, they forgot to squabble, and now get on just fine...it did take about three weeks though

[JulesL]

I had 2 newbies last week and my original girl has been pecking at them. I did put them all in together straight away as that was what was recommended to me by my local chook supplier. I have been giving them lots of treats too to try and get them to eat together which actually has been working ok. My old bird, Betty, does try and chase the other two away but they are too interested in the food to run! I have also been spraying the new girls with anti-pecking spray to stop Betty's attacks and this has definitely improved the situation today. Betty is still refusing to roost in the Eglu at night though with the other 2. At the moment we are leaving the Eglu door open but shutting the small run door (we also have a WIR) and leaving her to sleep outside. I'm hoping by another couple of weeks the situation will have eased and they will be living in harmony.

[S & S]

Well i let them out together this aftenoon for about half an hour, there was a bit of chasing to begin with, I did try not use my water pistal but felt i had to use it a couple of times, new friend went up to dawn and dawn showed her dissaproval by headlocking new friend think she must have had her by her ear or something new friend was screaming, it took a few good sprays at dawn for her to let go!, new friend then scarpered away.

 

There was no blood drawn, Dawn then went down other end of garden, i let them stay out for another ten minutes before putting them back in. I think Dawn had murder in mind!!

 

I dread to think what would happen if i just put them in together and left them but i wish i could.

 

Do you think i should put them to bed together when dark as reccommended when introducing new hens, but that would mean i would have to get up at crack of dawn to keep and eye on them or seperate them.!

 

thanks for reading

X

[Millie-Annie]

Put vaseline on new friends comb so if Dawn gets a hold she can't hang on

[Egluntyne]

You could make Dawn submit to you every time she attacks her companion, by pressing gently but firmly on her back so that she crouches. That way, she will see you as top chicken, and not herself, and she might buck up her ideas a bit.

[jennydavies]

I found the hosepipe on jet was more effective have you tried holding Dawn down with a bit of a flick on the back of the neck as if you are a coq ?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I tried putting my old and new girls in the eglu together at night after a few weeks - in the morning Penny had one tip of her comb pecked off . So if you do it, you'll have to be up very early (or put a blackout cover over the eglu - which might be a bit hot at this time of year ).

 

I'd say it took about 7 weeks in total for Maisie to stop bullying Penny. So don't give up .