Chicken boarders

[Thalia]

After the sad death of her companion, I'm now left, half-way through the introduction period, with one POL chicken to introduce to two older ones. I'm not sure whether I should start from scratch , or continue from where we got to, which was free ranging together, relatively happily although at opposite ends of the garden.

 

They're all spending the night together in the Eglu this evening as poor Selene looked so miserable on her own, so I'll have to be up early to remove her again. I'm really hoping that I can move them all in together soon as I don't want her to be a lone hen for too long, but equally I don't want more problems at this stage after a fairly miserable few days with Iris.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[Chucky Mama]

I have never done it but there is some information on introductions here: **HERE* I am sure someone who has been through it will be along to pass on their experience too.

[Egluntyne]

Keep going, and encourage them to share treats together.

 

Allowing her to range with just one of the others for a day, and then the other will divide and conquer, and encourage a bit of team building.

[the bradley bunch]

i'm just going through this myself - i had the job of introducing an 18 weeks old chick (completely unprepared as it was an unplanned rescue!) to 3 ex-batts who had been with us for 5 months.

 

if they are already free ranging together then i wouldn't back track as you've already made good progress. like egluntyne says encourage them to share treats together - try putting down 2 bowls when they are FR and encourage the POL hen over to where the others are eating (if there are 2 she's more likely to get a look in!). she may run away for fear of being pecked, so let her do this but once the others have finished eating and wandered off, tempt the new girl over and tap at the treats with your finger to show her it's ok to eat. sit with her and if the other girls come back don't let them push her away . this way they will see that it is now her turn to eat and that she is part of the pecking order and thus the flock.

after a few days of this every afternoon she should get the idea and 'line up' to take her turn with the treats. eventually they will start to look like a flock and FR as a group, and at this point you should try to leave them in the run together instead of taking her out in the morning.

also, when they are free-ranging in a large area, i put just one water & food supply out, so that they get used to sharing. there's no risk of the newbie not eating/drinking because when free-ranging the space is too big for the food & water to be 'guarded' all the time!

 

i know how hard it is to see your new little girl on her own, but even though they may not look like a flock she probably has already been accepted, and she especially will be once they start sharing food, water & treats.

my new girl is often down the bottom of the garden away from the others, but the other day - when a big cat came prowling into the garden - the 3 ex-bats called out and she ran over and huddled up with them. i was so proud of them for looking after her. afterwards of course they told her to scarper but it just shows that they do accept her so i have faith that my plan is working and after a couple more weeks she will be able to share a run with them without their being any major problems

 

stay positive and give your little girl extra cuddles to keep her from getting lonely