2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[sari]

So I set up the mk2 classic yesterday. I have enriched the 3m run a little, a couple of largsih rocks, hanging veggies, and some perches. Picked up a beautiful exchequer leghorn, 2 sussex/rhodie hybrids and a poor little cream legbar, who is a bit runty...the whole lot who hatched out are a bit small, so says the breeder. She's been pecked a lot and has a baldy bottom. Brought them home at 5.30pm, popped them in the run, and the legbar ran straight into the pod, and stayed there, The others scratched around found the grubs, ate etc....little baldie stayed in. When she does come out, one of the sussexs keep going for her, alomost mounting her pecking quite hard. Then the exchequer started...she appears to be the dominat one..when night fell ..the others put them selves to bed, and she was crouched outside until 9.30. I put a torch in the pod ..nothing apart from her sleeping on the grass near the door. In the end I crawled in the run and popped her in through the egg hole. SO what I suppose I'm asking is, is this normal behaviour, establishing the pecking order...or should I make alternaative arrangements for the baldie, ie buy a cheapie ark ( I'm skint, btw!) .....any advice for a nervous newbie??? i was doing really well, caught the escapee exchequer at the breeders, clipped its wing....but now I'm worried that they'll bully the legbar into ...well....I don't know. so any help will be listened to intently.

 

Sorry for the long post x x x x

 

sari x x

Edited September 20, 2010 by Guest

[Redwing]

It may take some time but it will sort itself out

 

The problem may be the run which isnt massive for four hens so she may struggle to keep out of the others way, three hens are better suited to that size run

 

Keep an eye on the situation, purchase some 'purple spray' from an equestrian shop or online (also called Gentian Violet) it can be used on any minor wounds or red patches to discourage pecking (it does stain and stays a long time though)

 

You can also get anti pecking sprays which may be useful

 

Sadly homing a hen because its smaller and you feel sorry for it sometimes isnt in its best interests and if things dont sort themselves out you may want to consider returning it but for now just keep an eye out, the pecking order establishing is quite brutal but unless blood is drawn sit on your hands and monitor the situation

[sari]

thanks for getting back to me.......I am aware that the first few daya/weeks of establishing the pecking order can look quite harsh to a newbie, I was just concerned that the pecking might become a habit.....I'll try to leave them, and if it continues for...more than a week?.........I'll make alternative arrangements. A friend who keeps ex batts has her poorly ones in an arkrun, with a closed in cat litter house, with custom built perches and nest box, so may go down that route. to be honest, the sussex;s aren't that much bigger than the legbar, and I didn't think it would be a problem...another case of newbie naivety!!

 

..Also, I do intend for the girls to FR after the 7 day settling in period, but is the 3 section run not advised for 4 chickens? I bought this from ebay, and its got the extra section, and the guy had 4 ex batts in permanently, no FRing.....I thought it would be ok..... I do plan a WIR.....have got Dad on the case.....

[Egluntyne]

I've had 4 hens in runs with just the three sections before now. Ideally it should be one section per hen but I find them too hard to move for cleaning.

 

You could try putting a perch for her to fly up to. A broom handle with the ends trimmed would do the trick.

 

Diversions such as a cabbage suspended for them to peck at might also help.

[sjp]

is the legbar small or younger than the rest? and were they all in the same pen at the breeders?

squirt or 2 from a water pistol at the bully might help if it gets out of hand but if the legbar's anything like mine she be fast enough to get out of the way of the bigger girls she'll more than likley be a lot smarter than the hybrids to so that should help just need to make sure she isn't stopped from feeding and drinking

[sari]

they were all in a huge pen, except for the leghorn, the legbar is a bit younger, and has been bullied there , as she's all baldie bottomed. I am thinking of moving her today, as she won't come out. I've put some greens up last night, and the others are having that. ..Do you think if I have her separately ( seen an ark locally) maybe with another of her brood of legbars, when they are free ranging they'll be better? I don't want to panic or be rash, but can't stand the thought of her being attacked like that. The sussex almost mounts her, and pecks her neck/eyes. I have a huge garden, and it was always my intention for them to FR. I feel really bad, I always wanted the legbars, but was swayed by the leghorn......and the sussex's were a 2 for 1, as they were the last 2 sisters, and the breeder wantd them to go together.....duh.

[sari]

phew...have put in a few small branches, chased Gertie ( baldy bum) down the glug/grub end..chucked a few treats around......and it seems a little calmer........will leave getting alternative accommodation for today......I do have a dog crate if the worst happens...but think it was just newbie psychosis! Thanks for the advice!!

[Olly]

Keep an eye out for any blood being drawn, but generally the behaviour you are describing is not unusual and she will get braver and settle down. There is always one hen at the bottom of the pecking order, and she's likely to be the one.

 

Have you got more than one feeding station, so she can get to food/water? When I introduced a new hen to an established flock she spent most of her time in the Cube or on the ladder, and I used to put a coop cup up there with some food in just to make sure she got some. As long as there's no actual damage, I would stick it out for a day or two - she may still hide from the others, but if she starts going in to sleep with them that's a good sign. A perch for her to escape to will help.

[sari]

she's out in the run, the others are snoozing..lazy tinkers, only been up since 7.30! she's eating lots, found a few sluglets.preening etc....grit everywhere too! I haven't seen any of them use the Glugs yet...they are eating lots of grass. The glug is low down as per instructions, but opposite the grub, should I move it so its next to it? I've put a few branches in to perch....the lehgorn, is leaving her alone now, just one of the sussex X's...I'm getting a water pistol in a minute......and and not panicking now....oh, and purple spray, and anti peck spray!

[Olly]

I'd leave the glug and grub opposite, it gives her more chance of getting to one or the other without a bully intervening! That all sounds very positive, if she is feeding and enjoying normal chicken behaviour for a bit, it won't matter if she spends the rest of the day lurking out of their way.

[sari]

Thanks Olly...this is worse than bringing the babies home from hospital......she seems quite content..it's just that one meany sussex....Selma Bouvier is her name.....do you watch the Simpsons?!

[daxigirl]

I was wondering how you were getting on but it seems it's all been rather traumatic, so I feel for you. I was going to ask what time you got up to see them but I imagine it was with the cock crow to see if the little un was ok.

 

One of mine, Sunday Roast, came with a baldy bum too but there is now some fluff and vague feather shafts coming through 4 weeks later. I have to say she is no 2 bird despite being rather smalll to start with. I have 4 in my 3m run but they do all get on having got their pecking order real quick.

 

Best of luck and hopefully the next few days will get better.

[Carol U]

Only just seen your posts Sari. So sorry you've been having problems. I too have a Cream Legbar and she is by far the smallest of my flock. Yours may not be a runt - they are just small birds. Mine, together with my Gold Legbar was bullied initially, but they are much faster and nippier than the others and became very adept at swooping down from a high branch, grabbing food/treats and zooming back up before the others could reach them. I also made sure that there were several sources of food and water to begin with - you can get little clip-on pots in petshops which are fine and very cheap - so that the bigger birds couldn't guard all of them. You will probably find that they are fine while out freeranging together - just make sure that the little one can get away in the run if she needs to. Mine now snuggles up to her main aggressor for her afternoon snooze!

[sari]

Gertie- the legbar- seems ok with the exchequer..it's just the two sussex X's. They are in the pod.....Gertie and Florence are out in the run, eating scratching etc.....I've put a few branches in...she seems ok. I think I was just panicking! I was awake on and off from 1..I have insomnia anyway, but was up doing internet grocery shopping at 5, listening with the patio door open...not a peep! In the end my Youngest snuck out and opened the pod door at 7.30......they came out then.

 

Thanks for all the support and advice......I am a real Annie Anxiety at the minute!

[the bradley bunch]

yep 100% make sure there is more than source of food / water especially. an upturned dog or cat bowl if you've got one hanging around is great because you can fill the rim. or just any bowl/plastic tub you've got lying around will do, just make sure there is more than one place to get to food & water.

 

watching the pecking order establish is awful, many say its actually worse for us than it is for the girls. if you do get a second ark for her then i wouldn't advise seperating her on her own. hen's are flock animals and to keep one on it's own i don't think would make it very happy

 

let them free range together as it's a much better environment for them to establish a pecking order as they each have their own space and the bottom chook will have loads of places to run & hide. the bullying will soon settle down once the top chooks feel happy they have established & secured their place in the pecking order. it can take at least a week for a new group to sort things out, so don't panic too much in the early stages!

 

i honestly wouldn't make the decision to seperate them unless the violence is severe & is showing no improvement after a couple of weeks. although you may feel you're helping the chook you may be hindering any acceptance she may gain into the flock and actually make things worse for her. i'm not saying don't seperate her, just only do it as a last resort, and i'd strongly advise picking one of the other girls to put in the ark with her so she's got some company - even if the pair don't get on at first they will bond once the 2 have established who's in charge! i really think that it would be best to re-home her to somewhere where she can fit in & be part of a flock than keep her on her own.

 

in all honesty though i think she'll be fine and things will settle down if you just let them sort it out and be on hand to split up any severe attacks (a broom is always useful! that's what we're using at the mo with our 1:3 intro - and we're introducing a 19 week old to 3 ex-bats!).

 

good luck and try not to worry too much in a couple of weeks you & them will all be enjoying each other's company and you'll be sucked in to the wonder that is the world of chicken keeping!

 

ps. welcome to the site and hope to see some piccys of your lovely ladies soon

[the bradley bunch]

ps. if it ever gets too stressful, just play the word association game in the nesting box...great fun!

[sari]

thanks. It seems a bit better as time goes on. The exchequer seems to be accepting her, it's just one bully sussex. She did get a small poke, and an Oi! from my 9 year old. The high perch seems to be working, and she's eating and drinking more than the sussexs.......it'll be fine..I'll be fine.! Id I did separate her, I get another 1 oe 2 legbars from her same brood...don't worry, I wouldn't leave her on her own. She's so pretty! I'll try to upload some pics soon

 

Thanks for all the reassurance x x x

[chicken bark]

Just caught up with this thread. Sounds as though you have had a busy first weekend.

I'm glad things seem to have settled a bit, everything is fixable so just cross each bridge as you come to it.

 

Given that you have to confine them all initially it sounds as though you have a well thought out run. I'm sure things will get much easier once they start free ranging next weekend.

 

I found the water pistol really helps. Good luck.

 

I had one that was bullied at first. She used to let the others go to bed and go to sleep, then I would 'encourage' her into the house (with the aid of a cane - didn't touch her with it just used it to stop her heading back down the run). As the others were asleep she found she was able to get in the house. Now months on they all muck in together and although the pecking order is obvious they all get on well together.

[sari]

The 2 sussex's have just had a real go at her now, and I found one mounted on her in the pod! I know it'll be better soon..I am hurrying up the idea of a walk in run and an extra roosting box......roll on next weekend and FRing.....they were all alright in the pod last night...

[the bradley bunch]

The 2 sussex's have just had a real go at her now, and I found one mounted on her in the pod! I know it'll be better soon..I am hurrying up the idea of a walk in run and an extra roosting box......roll on next weekend and FRing.....they were all alright in the pod last night...

 

naughty sussex's!

i'll keep my fingers crossed for you that things improve and that she gets on ok until the weekend

hopefully they will all be the best of friends in no time. one of our older girls still hates her new 19 week old sister so you've got our full sympathy!

[sari]

Things have been better today, baldy bum is a bit more confident, so they are leaving her alone a bit more. Mum came today, and said she heard nothing.....they only seem to take offence when she wants to go into or out of the pod first, or she dares go for the tasty treat on the floor near them. The big ones had put themselves to bed last night, and poor gertie was trying to go through the door side (Doh!) so I shepherded her in. I shut but didn't lock the door, and the sussexs let themselves out at 7.25. Just been out to put them away and they were all away in....so things are on the up. I really would like to say thank you for all the advice and reassurance. I will try to post some pics up...just need to find the data transfer cable haha!

[Olly]

Ah, glad to hear it's been a better day. I think you will see a slow but steady increase in her confidence, it's likely she will always be bottom chicken, but she will learn to hold her own with them. Long may it continue!

[sari]

Things are lot better now, they are FRing from about 3.45pm until my dog comes home...about 6ish. They are flocking together...is that the right term? Roaming around the garden, eating windafalls, and all the bits my girls are tempting them with. . Haven't seen any pecking today, don't know whether the Gentian helped with that too. I certainly have 2 attractively purple fingers! Gertie is a bit less nervy around the others too, which I'm sure helps.So thanks for all the advice, and support, Annie Anxiety can rest for a bit!!

[chicken bark]

Really pleased it is settling down.

 

I think it is on the introductions thread that it says something like 'after 3 weeks peace breaks out'. That is such a good way to describe it.

[sari]

Just found my poor Legbar with droplets of blood on her baldy bum....oh dear. It has been so much better this week as well, feathers have started to grow back too so I've sprayed it really well with the purple spray....and am starting the WIR tomorrow...having the wire mesh delivered this evening...getting the slabs tomorrow too....ho hum. They aren't pecking at her at all when FRing..or when I'm watching