theherd123 Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Today was the day we decided to try and put both sets of sweetie girls together. Needless to say i was very nervous and was dreading it if they didnt get on. All the chooks came down to the lawn and things looked fine. Spangle opted out of the picture as she had spotted a worm! I was feeling quite pleased they were getting along ok. Unfortunately it didnt stay that way and Spog & Custard, respective top chooks in each sub-group, strated s"Ooops, word censored!"ping It was one of the most awful things i have ever seen and was extremely upset to see my chickens behave like this All chooks were then herded back into the hotel and bumper bits were fitted to 4 of them All the girls are in the hen hotel and mixing together but there are still big scuffles going on even with the bumber bits on they still seem to be able to bop each other really hard I feel terrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Oh how horrible. I know it is something that you have to get through but it is so upsetting. It is hard to believe that our sweet little girls can behave so nastily. Just rest assured in a few days it will all be over and they will be back to their lovely selves again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I'm sure it will pass Emma...it's just horrible to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Oh dear Em! Spog looks most put out doesn't she I'm sure they will all be OK soon. Little madams! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I would be as disappointed as you, Emma. But it will sort out very quickly. Try not to worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 1, 2007 Author Share Posted June 1, 2007 Im really concerned as they all look very miserable indeed i didnt think it would upset me so much but to see them going at it was shocking. Im also concerned about them eating and drinking well with the bumper bits on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Oh Em, they'll cope with the eating and drinking fine, but I do know how you feel. I couldn't believe it when my lovely Tubbs turned on Izzy and was just SO evil. It WILL pass..... just try not to watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I feel terrible Awe Emma, don't feel like that, you are by far the most caring chicken-mummy I know, and your girls are so very lucky to have you to look out for them, especially given their hard start in life. Things will settle down fairly quickly, and by mid-summer all the girls, old and new, will be pootling about in the garden, revelling in their life as 'Emma's Girls'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I can't bear the fighting either. The first time I put the two new hens in the cube run, the three old hens attacked them in a corner. I thought they were dead, as they were lying on top of each other with their heads down and their eyes closed. I think it is all some kind of stupid game that looks much worse than it is. There have been loud squawks and swift beak action, but no blood, and it has quietened down now. My hen who wears a bumper bit eats the most food of them all and you need not worry about that. She wiped her beak a lot at first and obviously didn't like it, but she doesn't know that it is there now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 1, 2007 Author Share Posted June 1, 2007 Thanks guys you are a great bunch of folks you know. We were going to put bumper bits on all the girls but i just couldnt do it to Spangle, Rhubarb & Shrimp - the softies of the bunch I tried with Rhubarb but she poohed herself (on me) twice when we tried to fit it so i just couldnt do it to her anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 The fighting really shocked me when I put Elf back, and they all knew each other It does look worse than it is, and sounds horrible, but it will only take a short time before they all get on famously karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 OH no ! that must have been dreadful to witness. I'm sorry Emma and hope things settle down quickly now. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 So Flump has a bumper bit now? Please tell her that I am totally ashamed of her unwelcoming behaviour. After all the love and care she has received she should know better. Naughty girl - and I expect to hear an improvement very soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 What are bumper bits? I'm new to keeping hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 hi emma - why are they purple??? is it antipecking stuff? mine are in the 'facing each other out' stage when so inclined - lots of neck extending and feather ruffling, and a bit of helicopter mobility if they think it looks scary enough. then they go and find a slug or something... but I have also seen the 'lets sit on the first one in the dust bath and make her get up' scenario, and have even been in to poke the one on the bottom to make sure she's alive!! I'm sure they'll be ok when they have sussed each other out - new kids on the block and all that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 AJuff: here is a hen wearing a bumper bit, and a close-up of the bit so you can see the part that goes in the mouth. Only bad hens wear them. If you obtain your chickens at the same time you are much less likely to need to use them. As you can imagine, it stops the hen jabbing with the beak and it stops the hen getting its beak fully together to bite her little friends. In nature, hens would eventually sort the pecking order out without too much damage: but our hens have to stay in close proximity and it is too dangerous to leave some hens shut up in a small space together. They can also used if a hen starts feather-pecking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 2, 2007 Author Share Posted June 2, 2007 hi emma - why are they purple??? is it antipecking stuff? The purple stuff is called Gentian Violet and its primarily an anti fungal/bacterial spray but i used it to try & prevent pecking. I used it on my first lot of rescue girls as their skin was bare and i was worried that they were sorting out the pecking order and a few feathers were flying so i put the spray on to help prevent this. Very stylish dont you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 it has a certain charm... maybe you could spray them all over??!!! - purple hens, now there's a first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Hopefully it will sort itself out quickly. Emma, I was wondering if they do avoid pecking where the spray is? Considering a bit/spray as Trinny now has a little blood on her bald bit as Abbie pecks her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 I used purple spray on Gucci after Prada had made her bleed in one spot. Prada had started to pull out Gucci's feathers on her rear end but when she bled Prada seemed more interested still in pecking the "bloody" bit. The purple spray stopped this as it changed the colour of the whole back area so the bleeding area didnt stand out any more. In the end it didnt stop the general feather pulling so she now sports an anti peck ring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
