Old Hazel Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Hi We had 4 girls (2 Marans and 2 Araucanas) and then yesterday we went crazy with Morehens and bought 6 new girls. We went to a chicken farm and got 6 Sussexes. We had divided up the run and put in an Eglu for the new girls. That was a mistake as, although they are only 15 weeks old, they already seem bigger than the original girls. At the chicken farm, the new girls were in a dark shed with hundreds of other birds and they didn't seem to have any roosting or sleeping places. At bedtime, my originals all trooped up to bed as usual but the new girls didn't know what to do. We put them in the Eglu which was too much of a squeeze - today we'll switch them over and so the old girls will have to move into the Eglu temporarily and the new ones will get the Cube. This morning 2 of the new girls had not got out of the Eglu. I think these were the 2 (they all look the same at the moment!) I saw sitting a lot yesterday while the others were mooching about and finding the food and water. I got them out of the Eglu but am very worried as they don't seem to have a clue about eating, drinking, going to bed and getting up. Do you think it is just the shock of the move? Do you think they don't like the light? Will they settle down? We bought the same food as they had been eating but I'm so worried that they won't eat and drink and will just fade away! All the new girls seem in excellent condition but it was sad seeing how they had been living. We only meant to get 4 but my husband suddenly wanted to take more to get them out of the shed - the farm also did meat birds and he wanted to stop them being eaten! Any help appreciated! Old Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Don't worry, it won't take them long to learn how to be chickens. It's quite natural for them to be confused if all they've known so far is life in a barn. In fact it's how a lot of youngsters are reared for the now lucrative domestic market - not all though. Yours will be behaving badly in no time at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 As long as they are well and not hunched, fluffed up or tail down then they are probably shell shocked from the move. If unwell I would take them back. Sussex do grow to be nice big friendly girls, they'll be fine in the cube. How are your others taking to the intruders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 Hi Thanks for your encouraging words. We went to say hello again to them all and found a few were all tucked up asleep. I assume that is what they did in the big shed barn. I'm so used to the existing girls pecking all day and wanting to eat all the time that I'm a bit worried that they will fade. Poor girls. How does the torch trick work. Do you put the torch in the Cube/Eglu or do you shine the light of the torch up into the coop? I was worried about how the girls would all take to each other, especially as I was warned the Araucanas might be aggressive. So far, they have only seen each other through wire but they didn't seem unduly bothered. The fact that there are so many of the bigger, younger Sussexes might help a bit? I know they will have to sort themselves out eventually - we'll just have to see whether my current head hen keeps her position or whether she gives way to one of the Sussexes. We're just leaving the new girls in the run all day at the moment so they can get used to the light and sleeping in a coop etc. I've been reading some horror stories here about bad introductions and want to take it slowly. It all feels quite stressful - I hope they settle in soon! Happy Easter! Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hazel Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 Quick update: new girls are eating and drinking today. They have been moved into a slightly bigger area and will (hopefully) be sleeping the in the cube tonight. The original girls have been in and out of the divided run all day and there has been a bit of squaring up to the new ones. These will have to move into the eglu until the end of the integration. Now I'm worried about the impact on the original girls. Having to move them into an eglu was not expected. I wonder if it will effect their laying? One of them has looked like she wants to lay an egg but doesn't want to go into the eglu. How long can they delay laying an egg? Things are going much better anyway! Hazel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
