Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[Millihelen]

A friend has just offered me a young Cochin. She was a present but she is too big for the nesting boxes in their hen house. I am very tempted, but would this be wise?

I have a cube with standard run and loads of fenced free ranging area.

At the moment I have 4 3 yr old Miss Pepperpot hybrids.

 

Will introducing one new girl just be asking for trouble?

 

I need to decide quickly - otherwise she can go back to where she came from.

[Goosey Lucy]

I'd say that unless you have separate accommodation available for her for at least a couple of weeks then no, you're asking for trouble. My Pepperpots were evil to any newbies. Sorry

[Tweety]

Lucy is right, you will need separate housing for her and it would be better if you got another to introduce with her. It is much more difficult to introduce one new bird on its own than it is to add two or more.

[Millihelen]

Thank you both. I think I knew that was the answer - I just needed to be told

I would like to add to "the family" in the future - but I guess the right approach is to research the breeds, buy or borrow some extra accommodation- and only then get the chickens.

[craftyhunnypie]

could you not borrow her during they day, for some free ranging together - under your supervision? If you did that, yours could get used to her. Then a bit down the line, see if she is accepted to go in the hen house with the others - once it starts to go dark. That's how most of my intro's have gone.

Emma.x

[Chortle Chook]

Sounds like craftyhunnypie has the perfect solution. It would be hard to pass up on a chicken of fate especially a Cochin. The only thing I'd worry about is the fact that Cochins are notoriously gentle and the hybrids might pick on her rather but then you'd see that if you follow craftyhunnypie's idea.