Penguin Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 On this day of love and romance I had rather hoped that the chickens would feel it too ... obviously not. To cut a long story short, we got two new girls three weeks ago to go into our new cube with our two old girls. The first week was very stressful with Baked (and Fried to a certain extent) giving Egg and Spoon a really hard time at bedtime and not letting them into the cube, or hoiking them out if they were already in there. So in week two we separated them out with the new ones in the cube and the old ones in the Eglu (with many thanks to the lovely man we sold our Eglu to for letting us hold on to it for a bit) and let them free range together still. This week we have been transferring the old ones to the cube when it is dark and monitoring how they all are in the mornings. Fried seems to accept the new ones OK but Baked continues to give them a hard time, chasing them off anything that she wants (food, water, soil bath, hanging cabbage etc.) and this morning had blood on her beak that we can only assume is from Spoon. Thus, she is currently in the Eglu run while the others are out. What to do? Will she ever be nice to the others? Will a rabbit hutch work as a temporary sleeping arrangement with them free ranging during the day so that Baked can start to accept them? I can't shut Baked in the cube run during the day because otherwise the others can't lay eggs! Heeeeeeeelp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Separating her is a good idea as she'll go down the pecking order after a few days. You could try a bumpa bit as well- that way she shouldn't do so much damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Don't panic! This is normal, and in time they will in most cases become good friends. If you read the thread on Introductions (under FAQs) you'll see that it recommends keeping then separate during the day at first, but putting them together at night. Can you safely let them free-range together during the day? That's probably the best way for them to get used to each other. Make sure there's more than one feeding and drinking station so the new girls can get to one of them. You say she had blood on her beak, so I'd check for any wounds - you could try a bit of anti-peck spray. As long as "Ooops, word censored!"ody us actually being wounded, I'd let them get on with it - it's hard to watch but the new girls will get braver, and Baked will be less bothered about them in a week or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 The main problem is at night at the moment, oddly enough. They're OK during the day since there is enough space for them to be all over the garden but still see each other. There are two water and feeding stations in the garden and they can get into the cube run where there is more food so there's no worries there. It's Baked standing at the door of the cube pecking ferociously at them at bedtime that is the issue. That's why we have been doing the transfer in the dark, but now she is carrying on with the pecking in the morning as well before being let out to fr. I'm sure it will all work out in time, but it's that wait that is the worry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 Oh and the anti-peck spray hasn't done the trick for us I'm afraid - already tried! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Going thru a stressful intro myself so can sympathize Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 Hello fluffy. Do tell of your stress then please? Share it and perhaps we can identify common issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
