Poorly chicken

[Lapinou]

We have one hen left, who has an anti-peck ring in as she was pecking nastily her sister who has now died. My FIL has suddenly said 'I've got a friend with two young pullets you can have' and is bringing them over in aobut 1/2 hour

 

And now I'm all of a fluster as I have children's commitments to think about this afternoon (swimming lessons and badgers); a friend coming to stay - got to pick her up at 2pm (thankfully not someone I need to worry about making the house immaculate for); and I haven't thought about preparing for these two poor hens.

 

So...our current hen free ranges - can we just let the other two out into the garden with her and then shut them up in the eglu tonight? I'm aware we might need to teach them where to go at bed time. Or ought they to stay in the run this afternoon? With or without existing hen?

 

They're about 12 weeks old - will we need to clip their wings before we let them free-range anyway? Wish I'd been more assertive with FIL about what's what with these hens!

 

Will they need growers pellets instead of layers ones for a bit? POL is 20 weeks isn't it? If so, will existing hen (who is currently moulting and coming to the end of her laying life anyway) have any problems having growers pellets for a few weeks? If so, how do we separate their food?

 

[Raina]

Hi Clare,

 

Is there anyway you can get a Rabbit hutch and run so the new girls can go in that?

 

I think they will need to be kept on growers till they are about 18 weeks old?

 

and i think you should be OK clipping their wings as younger birds are really flighty lol.

 

 

Sorry i've not been much help.

 

 

Good Luck,

 

Raina

[Thalia]

I'm a newbie at this but have just added two new pullets to my flock. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be able to answer this more comprehensively.

 

Ideally you need to isolate the new hens from the old in case of disease and because they won't get along to begin with. I currently have my run divided with garden canes to facilitate this. They also can't go in the eglu right away, so you'll need temporary accomodation. I have a rabbit hutch that I got from free cycle and rennovated to be chicken habitable, added some home made roosting bars a la the eglu. I believe a cat carrier works too for a temp home.

 

This topic has more details: Here The one at the end shows how to use garden canes to divide the run in very helpful manner!

 

I don't know about the food, but my 17 week olds are on layers pellets.

[Lapinou]

 

No way to separate them at this short notice

 

Cross with myself I didn't insist FIL waited until we could prepare better but he was here when Princess Aurora died and has been very keen to source us new hens! Wendy is obviously lonely!

 

Is it such an issue to separate them if she's got a peck ring in her beak? It's worked brilliantly, so they won't get pecked (if that's the issue). Re. illnesses...I think we might have to wing it if that's the only issue. It's very awkward, but it's not a whole flock they'd infect, just one rarely-laying hen so slightly less of an issue than it would be otherwise IYSWIM. Oh, and I know they're coming from very experienced, very trust-worthy breeders, so I'm fairly confident the risk is very low anyway.

[scarlettohara]

I introduced 2 to a lone hen after a fox attack, I initially put canes through the eglu run bars to separate them but after an hour they trashed this and got in together anyway. Luckily they all got on fine - if you are prepared to take the risk re infection and can keep an eye on them today I don't see you have any other option. Good luck and let us know how you get on

[..lay a little egg for me]

Don't let them out to free range for a few days or they may end up anywhere! You might not be able to find them this evening. When we got our new girls we also did not have any way of keeping them in separate accommodation so we kept them in a big box until the evening and then popped them in with the old girls when it was dark. In the morning the new ones came out quickly when we opened the pop hole so we let them out to free-range and kept the new ones in the run. We did this for about 4 days before letting the new ones out. In the evenings the new girls went to bed early (they still do) and so we were able to open up the run to let the old girls in to bed after the new ones were already in there. The old ones just forced their way in to their favourite roosting spots and the new ones had to shift over. There was minimal pecking.

 

I think that if you have to introduce without separate accommodation it is most important to ensure the new and old girls are not forced to spend time together in a small space during daylight hours.

[Lavenders_Blue]

To be honest, given the situation you are in, I would be tempted just to put them all in together. There is only one existing hen and her nastiness will be shared out between the two newbies so you won't have just one girl on the receiving end of the bad behaviour. Also if they are free ranging there will be more space for the newbies to get away from your old girl. Maybe stand by with the hose pipe to give your old girl a blast if she gets a bit too aggressive?

 

The new hens will need to be on growers but it shouldn't do any harm for your old girl to have it too. Hopefully someone will correct me on that if I am wrong.

 

Good luck!

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

I would keep the new girls indoors with you until night time, then pop 'em in with your exsisting Hen in the nest box. They will all wake togther and that should help. That worked with my impulse Pekin anyway

[Chucky Mama]

Ideally you need to keep them quarantined for while anyway which may give you time to catch your breath and think things through. Does anyone nearby have a spare dog crate or rabbit hutch that could be adapted or part of a garage that could be sectioned off?

[Egluntyne]

I'm a firm believer in quarantine too, having learned the hard way. I'd put them in a sectioned off area of the shed, greenhouse or garage for a week if you can't beg steal or borrow some outdoor accommodation for them.

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

Ideally you need to keep them quarantined for while anyway which may give you time to catch your breath and think things through. Does anyone nearby have a spare dog crate or rabbit hutch that could be adapted or part of a garage that could be sectioned off?

 

Yeah, good idea actually. Especially after my recent troubles..

[Lapinou]

I seriously have no way at all to quarantine them

 

Anyway, our plan of action is (after reading on here; speaking to my dad who had chickens for years when we were younger; and my farmer friend):

 

- keep them separate in the daytime for a few days; newbies in run; Wendy free-ranging

- as soon as newbies roost, chuck Wendy in with them over night and get up at the crack of dawn to let/shut her out of the run when they wake up again

 

Wendy's not laying right now as she's moulting, so that's helpful - she doesn't need the nesting box.

 

They spend 20 minutes together this evening and Wendy had a go at pecking them a couple of times, but nothing major or worrying...just normal I imagine!

 

Will keep a very close eye on them whenever they're together, and pick up some growers pellets tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks for all the advice!

[Egluntyne]

Good luck. I'm sure it will work out fine.

[Plum]

I've got all mine on growers but give the oldies some layers morning and night when I can supervise. They may put on a bit of weight but that won't hurt as they are moulting like yours and need a boost.

 

So what type are your babies

[Lapinou]

Black rock with something, we don't know what! FIL didn't ask!

[Plum]

So how are they getting on?

[Lapinou]

Well, they're still alive!

 

Wendy's very fed up that she's banished from the run in the day time, but we're buttering her up with mealworms

 

We've bought some growers' pellets now, so the newbies are on those. Wish I knew how old they are exactly - FIL just says they were born in June, but end of June or beginning, we do not know!