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[FoxFighters]

We lost Ginger on Wednesday to Sterile Peritonitis and thought we'd do Pepper a favour and get her a friend on Thursday to prevent any stress or loneliness.

We haven't got loads of space or any extra runs, coops etc so we did as advised by Vet and Chicken seller and placed new chook in the house after Pepper had gone to bed.

Well, it's like world war 3! When they are in the run together Pepper attacks Salt (lovely Sussex Hybrid) so she runs and hides in the house and stays there until we shut Pepper out.

When they are free ranging they keep as far away from each other as possible unless the mood takes Pepper to go and chase her!!

She hasn't drawn any blood yet but I'm worried that she'll never get used to her?

I know most of the books I've read say it does take up to a couple of weeks to settle down but Pepper seems pretty definite in her feelings for Salt.

I feel really bad I'm worried that I'll have to get rid of Salt, but then she'll be back at square one in another similar situation!

I think what I really want is one of you guys to tell me you've done the same thing and it all ends happily ever after?!

[chicken bark]

Putting them straight in together is not an approach I have taken but some do it and it works for them. You could try splitting the eglu run with bamboo canes and putting the new girl in a cat carrier at the door end. You can put them both in together over night but separate them again this way during the day. After a few days you may find you don't need to divide the run.

 

I think the answer to these things is give them as much space and time as possible.

 

If no blood has been drawn, although it might look unpleasant, they may just sort it out for themselves. I'd only go down the divided run approach now if things look as though they are getting out of hand.

 

The good news is that at this time of year hens are less territorial and aggressive to new comers than they are during the warmer months.

[FoxFighters]

Thanks for the advice Chicken Bark!

I feel really guilty though! Is there a chance they'll never get along?

[Redwing]

They will sort it out - its not ideal to introduce that way but if its already two days in and blood hasnt been shed it will probably settle down soon

 

If you dont want to try the daytime separation advised above then just keep a close eye on the situation

[migsy]

How old is the new hen? If the new one is a lot smaller than the original then it could get a hard time until it is bigger. Good luck. My intros took 8 weeks but my newbies were only 12 weeks old when I got them.

[FoxFighters]

The new hen is 21 weeks on Monday. The old hen is 2 years old in December. The new hen is probably bigger though believe it or not!

Thanks for all the advice.

It doesn't matter how many books you read on the topic you can't beat experience!! Though with my chickens they always manage to be the exception to most rules!!!

[Snowy]

Don't worry, it will calm down! It always looks terrible when they attack each other, but it nearly always works out in the end. When I got my very first eglu, I bought 4 hens from 2 different sources - I had the bamboo canes down the middle of the run for a few days before they finally declared a truce! Even when ther is no more s"Ooops, word censored!"ping, they will ignore each other for a while, but eventually things will settle down. It's always worse when you only have a small number of hens as it's often 1:1. Just keep an eye on them to make sure it doesn't get out of hand.

[Cranfield Kate]

My new girls and old girls have been free ranging together now for a week (after a week of being kept totally separate but seeing each other) so today I put them all in the big run together - it's big enough to give them all some space but it's not like having the garden to run around in. I filled it with corn and things to peck at and new bark chippings for distraction.

 

well i feel like the biggest meanie in the world for doing it even though I know they have to go through it. Scrawny is just wailing at me to be let out and periodically one by one they all come and run up and down along the front. having said that, whenever Atila has a go at her or one of the others, Boadicea steps in and gives her a peck. and every now and again peace reigns for a couple of minutes while they all find something to scratch at. so far, I think it's being as civilised as it can be but dear god I am hating the situation and myself right now.

 

hang on in there FoxFighters - I am sending you and your chooks sympathetic vibes!

Edited October 10, 2010 by Guest

[FoxFighters]

Thank you so much for that Cranfield Kate!

I know exactly what you mean about the guilt!!

My poor newbie!!It all seems very continual, the bullying.

How long do you think it'll all go on for?

I'm getting worried that she won't want to use the house to lay in as she relates it to pain and trauma!

I've decided to leave them in the run now until things are more civilisied. At what point do you have to intervene though, and what are the options after that?

If I get my newbie rehomed she'll have to go through it all again!!!

[Happy Mummy]

I have just bought my girls a cube.So as I have a bit more sleeping space I thought that I would give 2 more girls a good home. This now makes a "happy" family of five. Or so I thought!!

Got the new girls a week ago and have had them in quarentine until today - when I was in cleaning them out one of my origional girls desided to pay the new arrivals a visit. Great I thought! No, the new arrivals didn't take to kindly to her a squabble broke out! Had to separate them.

We have plently of room ,I don't use a run. Not sure whether I am doing the right thing but I was just going to try again tomorrow and let them free range together and hope they sort it out.

So I know what your going through. It's hard seeing any of them being picked on.

[cavysqueak]

All three of our new girls hid inside the cube for most of the day at first! Then .... suddenly .... all five girls are roaming around together, eating side by side, dustbathing on top of each other ....!

 

Definately a surprise to us as it took over a week before they started to tolerate each other, then over two weeks before they could stand close to each other without a peck, the eventual integration took over three weeks I would say. We were really concerned. Apart from an occasional peck from the 'old' girls all is well now.

 

Be patient. Good luck XxX