Sooo much pooping

[hopetofinish]

The poultry place that I am pretty sure I am going to get my chooks from keeps their warrens in one stable and the rest of the hybrids (nera, blue haze etc) in another stable.

 

If I bought from her would the hens fight, or are any new birds okay if they are put into a new environment at the same time.

 

Sorry if that is a really obvious question

 

Slabs are now down for the WIR.

[Mercedes55]

I'm very new to keeping hens and got 4 ex batts just under 2mths ago. I have to say that even though none of my 4 knew each other they were actually very good and we saw no fighting or anything, although there is definitely a pecking order. Even if the hens you are looking for have been kept together I would have thought that the pecking order would change once they are brought home simply due to the change in the dynamics of the flock. I wouldn't see it mattered if you got them all from the same stable or some from each as they are going to have to sort out a pecking order no matter what you do. Like I said, I know very little, so someone may come along and say I am wrong

[hopetofinish]

Glad you understood my post! When I read it back, I wasn't even sure I knew what I was asking

 

The chook lady is recommending I get just warrens, now eggs are important, but I thought if I got 2 warrens, 2 Neras and 1 either blue haze or 1 specklady, then in theory that would give us enough eggs. The warrens are great, but I am sure the others would be almost as friendly given time.

 

Knowing my kids they will do a sweepstake to see which will come out top hen!

[karena]

The place I bought them from said as a newbie I should get them out of the same shed as then they will know each other so there would be likely to be less fighting.

 

But then I've had a pecking problem, so who knows if that worked. Or could have been even worse

 

But that is what I was told anyway.

[Chicken shack]

I bought 3 hens Jasmin, Bluebelle and Daisy from one coup and a single hen Rhoda from another, when we put them in the cube there was an awfull lot of noise but no fighting and by evening they were all quiet. The single hen (Rhoda) is the boss. I have had them just over 2 weeks. I am a first timer too.

[hopetofinish]

Karena - that's interesting. Sorry to hear about the pecking!

 

The lady just advised me that warrens would be a better hen for the first timer. She didn't say anything about mixing issues. That is something that occurred to me through reading all the posts on here

 

Quite fancy a mixed flock, otherwise I may to get my chooks where they are all kept together.

[Guest]

If they are al in a new environment then they should be fine. Depending on how many hens there are you don't know if they have even had much contact with each other. Yes there will be a few pecks but hopefully you wont get any fights

[hopetofinish]

Thanks for all the advice. Mixed flock it is then

[Janty]

When I started I collected two brahmas, two cochins, two hybrids and a pekin. All came from different pens and besides the mistake that I made getting the pekin (although that resulted in hubby buying me a purple eglu and more bantams ) we had no problems at all with pecking.

 

As someone else said, they will all be coming to a new environment so no hen will be entirely sure of itself.

I'd get a nice colour mix.

[Millie-Annie]

Lady over the road got four, all at the same time, but from four different runs. They all get on fine

[Mercedes55]

I think a mix sounds wonderful too. Mine are all warrens being ex batts and I love them dearly, but I would still like to have some different coloured girls too

[Guest]

I have a flock of 10 mixed hens. Well not mixed but in pairs and 4's. The first 2 came together second 2 came together introduced to the first 2 then 2 came and another 2 came introduced cause pekin's so as a 4 then introduced with the other 4 now 2 getting introduced I bet that was confusing

[Chicken shack]

I have a flock of 10 mixed hens. Well not mixed but in pairs and 4's. The first 2 came together second 2 came together introduced to the first 2 then 2 came and another 2 came introduced cause pekin's so as a 4 then introduced with the other 4 now 2 getting introduced I bet that was confusing

yep!

[chicken bark]

When I got my last POL hens I got 2 from one pen and one from a different one. The breeder advised me to keep the one separate until bed time and then put them all in together. This I did and it worked and they all got on no problems. A couple of weeks later I then introduced them to my original 3.

 

So you should be fine with a mixed flock. When bringing new hens in they are all experiencing a change and so the odd new face is the least of their worries.