Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[ISCA]

Following the sudden and sad demise of Margo yesterday morning, the kind owner of the Traditional Breeds Centre has replaced her with another Buff Orpington for me. I have nammed her Marjorie.

 

 

The others appear to hate her. I was hoping they might think it was Margo returning but no! So after some fun and frolics letting her join them FR, with me squirting water at the attackers every time they jumped her, they are now all in the run. I have corndoned off an area with Omlet netting at one end to keep them apart. Marjorie seems quite settled.

 

Will it be OK to put her in the coop tonight and remove her in the morning?

 

Or would she be better in a cat box in the coop?

 

I am sure they will all be the best of friends one day

[Guest]

I don't know about putting her in but people always say you should never introduce just 1 hen.

 

Because of attacks if they are by themseleves they will be lonly.

[alet_chicken]

Marjorie is such a beautiful little girl!

 

I'm inclined to agree with RhysJordan about introductions. Introductions would be much easier to get a friend for Marjorie, and introduce them to the others as a pair. The two newbies will stick together and not be nearly as intimidated/bullied/pecked by your existing girls. More information here on introductions.

 

If you don't want to add an extra chicken, an alternative to getting Marjorie a friend *may* be to introduce her to just one of your existing girls, and once they are firm friends, introduce them to the rest of your flock as a pair. I imagine this would take some time though, but there is help on the forum, here. Again I'm sure somebody will be along soon to confirm whether this is a good idea or not.

 

Edited to add: This thread also contains some info on introducing a lone hen.

 

Edited to answer your question: I would suggest a cat box in the run, the weather is pretty mild so she should be fine. Hostilities are likely to break out again as soon as they wake up, so I would advise against popping her in bed with the existing girls unless you're sure you will be able to get her out before they wake up tomorrow morning (about 4.30, if my girls are anything to go by!).

[ISCA]

Thanks for the advice.

 

Getting 2 new chickens was not an option, my setup is only suitable for 6 (6.4 m2). Although they do have a larger area in which to roam, with Omlet fencing, they do not have access to it when I am out. Also she was a replacement because of what happened to Margo.

 

I shall put Marje in a cat box for now at night time and keep her in the conservatory. I will be up early enough to return her to her area of the run before the others get out.

[ISCA]

Well...

 

I went down to the run to put Marjorie in her box for the night. The others had all gone into the coop. BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MARJORIE!!!!

 

I look in the coop and there she is all snuggled up with the others!!

 

So now what do I do? Leave her and seperate them in the morning or take her out now?

 

I assume she forced her way through the Omlet netting to get through I doubt at 12 weeks she can fly over it.

 

Looks loke she is going to be a handfull

[Guest]

I would leave her.

 

You will need to rise before your chickens though because they will be grumpy in the morning.

 

If they are fine with her at night because they are tired then that is ok leave her in at night just not in the day. This way if she is in at night it might take a week or 2 for them to accept her.

[ISCA]

I agree Rhys, just checked and all is calm

 

I shall be up at 4.30 anyway so can pop her back in her run.

[Guest]

That will be perfect.

 

Good luck in everything.

[alet_chicken]

It's great news that she was happy to take herself off to bed with her new chums.

 

Keeping fingers crossed introductions go smoothly for you and Marjorie!

[ISCA]

Just an update on Marjories introduction. In view of the wide variety of advice on introductions on the internet I decided to go for what seemed right in the circumstances, keeping a close eye on how things progressed.

 

Luckily it has gone well so far. I have continued to let her sleep in the coop with the others and in the morning have popped her in the an area sectioned off with Omlet netting in the main run. The original flock could see and even touch her if they popped their heads through the netting but Marjorie could get far enough away to get peace and quiet and eat/drink. This morning she was allowed to eat from the main food container after the others had eaten, once the coop opened, before spending the morning in her area. Each afternoon she has free ranged with the others and has spent the evening in the main coop, closely watched. I sprayed her with anti-peck spray yesterday, which helped reduce the pecks.

 

This evening they have let her eat corn with them and they are now sitting down together in harmony.

 

There is still of course the occasional peck and chase and stand off, but as much amongst themselves as well as with Marjorie. Barbara my other Orp seems to have befriended Marje and last night rounded her up when she was last to go to bed! Barb called for her, ran out of the coop, coralled her up the steps and then settled down

 

So luckily for me this looks like a relatively quick and peacful introduction, although I am keeping a close eye on the situation. From Friday I shall stop seperating her in the day as I am around all day for a week to watch and interven if needed.

 

Because they are realtively similar ages and come from the smae farm may have helped perhaps.

[chicken bark]

Glad it is working out for you ISCA.

[Guest]

Glad it's going well.

 

Good to hear your orp has adopted her. She must realise that there is another orp so she must be her friend.

[Plum]

Good news, she is lovely

[alet_chicken]

Great news ISCA! Barbara is such a sensible girl.

[dannablue]

Lovely news, and gorgeous girl. She is absolutely beautiful, saw some Orps for the first time the other week and they truly are gorgeous

[Florence]

Isca,slightly off topic but I notice in your avatar that the chicken has a droopy tail,I have a colombine that looks very like this and I keep worrying that shes not right even though she seems fine ,can I ask is she your cream legbar

[ISCA]

Florence, the avatar is a picture of a Buff Orpington hen (not mine though). My Cream Legbar can be seen in my pictures (Meep Meep). She does not have any droopy tail feathers though.

[joza2210]

Marjorie is gorgeous !