Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[chickenopolis]

After having Dolly and Margo for over 2 weeks (I need to upload some picture), tonight is the night that I am going to let them out of their run and "mingle" with Florence and Gloria.

They have been kept in seperate runs and houses, and I have only let Dolly and Margo out when Flo and Glo are in their secure run.

We had the usual noises from Flo when the newbies arrived, but that went away after day 2. They have been marching up and down outside the run when Flo and Glo are, and we have had the hackles up from Glo, but after 2 weeks I need to bite the bullet and they need to start getting along, as the aim is for all 4 girls to leave together in the cube (which will free up the Eglu for a couple more girls - yes morehens disease in full swing in our garden).

Apart from preparing myself with a small whisky and having a watering can and the hose of full alert if I need to separate them - can I have top tips on how I should behave (as I know I will be worse than the girls).

Thank you.

[counturchickens]

Not sure I have any tips, but we merged 3 new ex batts with 2 old ones and were all in the cube within a month. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

[lindafw]

I would suggest waiting for bed time..when everyone has settled down gently take your girls from the eglu and place in the cube. Shut everything up and listen to the shuffling, then it should settle down. Tomorrow when you let them out they should get on ok...well okish! There will be some hen pecking to establish a new pecking order. Someone...sorry I don't remember who..suggested putting a couple of canes through the run bars to allow hens to perch and get out of the way of bullies.

 

Hope this helps. I am spoilt because I have a big garden so after doing the bedtime thing mine just wandered off on their own, two by two. I had to do the bedtime routine a couple of days and then I shepherded them into the cube and shut the run...they got the idea

[chickenopolis]

Well, we have done 2 evenings when we have let all the girls FR together, so far only a little bit of chasing, but nothing that a squirt of water didn't cure.

I have a few questions on chook behaviour - could any one assist please ??

 

When the newbies were out, the old girls(don't let them catch you calling them that...), went into to new girls run and starting rootling about, at one point I thought they were going to have a dust bath in it. They then decided to eat the new girls mash (they don't seem that keen when it is in their run), and just generally giving it the once over. Is that usual chook behaviour - the old girls checking out the new girls home?

 

Have to say the new girls did the same to the old girls home, but I took that as them being young and adventurous.

 

The old girls now like eating the food that the new girls have, and they have never eaten that before - is that normal.

Strawberries were a no go for the old girls, but since the new girls have eaten a couple, and the old girls have seen this, they now like them

 

I don't know if last nights activities were too much for Doris/Dolly, but she went into the Eglu shortly after and laid 2 eggs.

 

Chickens - intelligent beautiful creatures - but soooo confusing!

 

Thanks.

[beach chick]

I think your old girls reckon they are missing out on whatever the newbies get always worth checking to see if someone has something better!

it sounds fine to me, as long as they are not actually being nasty to each other I would just let them get on with it as you are doing.

[Plum]

How funny but all sounds quite normal

[chickenopolis]

Well, we have now done 3 evenings with mixed free ranging.

Again broom and water bottle in hand, and all seems to be going well (touching any wooden items that I can...).

The usual chasing from old girls but the new ones just run away.

Tried putting down a line of mealworms for them all to eat, and they all got along OK, until towards the end, when Margo decided to be brave and head towards Flo, who wasn't having any of that, and reared herself up ready to chase but Margo thought better of it and ran off.

I assume this is all normal.

 

I did notice this morning, when the the new ladies went back into their run(along with a handful of mealworms), that the oldies were pacing at the front of that run, to see she what all the fuss was about.

 

We have a large hawthorn hedge running down the side of the house, and after watching the cartoon film "Over the hedge", I have name our hedge "Steve". This morning when the new ones were out, I saw Margo head underneath it, and in a loud voice (didn't mean to, but I was in panic mode)....."Margo, come out from underneath Steve, you don't know where he has been"

 

I think slow and steady is the approach I am taking - I have read that you could put the new ones in the cube along with the oldies at night and they would all settle down, but knowing our chooks, I just don't think that would work.

So it's slow and steady and broom/water bottle in hand for the next month or so I think........

 

Thanks for all your responses - really appreciated.

[Henslaved]

I'm going through the same thing, but my Rosie seems to be being a bit of a thug, probably because she is the greediest and was bottom of the pecking order before the newbies came along. She doesn't chase them exactly, she waits till they're within range and grabs a beak full of feathers and tugs really hard and won't let go till I step in and tell her off, which is when she gives me a look and makes me feel guilty , unlike my Greta who is a little more ladylike and just gives them a good peck.

 

I think the new girls know their place already, but I think Rosie holds a grudge against little Muppet as when they first came into contact Muppet got the best of her and drew a little blood on Rosies' comb.

 

Like you, I think slowly is the best option .

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences, and keep us informed of your progress, I may need more tips .