Unsecure chicken perches

[danw]

Hello,

 

last week we brought in two new young hens in with our existing two (old) hens. The original idea was to cull one of the older hens as she is very old, stopped laying over a year ago, and has been looking pretty sad. However, we decided not to cull her.

 

We started off with the two young ones in the run and let the older ones free-range during the day. We then built a small run adjacent to the existing run and put the young ones in that, keeping the older ones next to them so that they could all get used to each other.

 

However, we have been moving them into the Eglu in the evening. By the time we get up to let them back out in the morning (6:30 this morning) the new girls necks are really badly pecked, with feathers missing and a lot of blood. The worst offender is the older hen who is still laying - npt the one we were going to cull.

 

Beyond getting a new house for the young hens, is there anything we can do? Will this sort itself out once they are all free-ranging and will only return to the Eglu of their own volition?

 

Should we cull the non-layer in the hope that the older bird will accept the younger ones in order not to be lonely. Or do we just give the main pecker away to be re-homed. (We have friends who may take her)

 

We expected a bit of pecking but it has been a week of sustained attacks and I don't want it to get any worse.

 

All comments and suggestions welcomed.

 

Thanks in advance, Dan

 

PS. Am hoping to get some Stockholm tar today.

[Egluntyne]

I think it would be a bit harsh to cull a non laying hen on the off chance that it might modify the behaviour of her companion tbh. I'd either dress the wounds and stick it out, as it will settle eventually, or preferably, get separate temporary accommodation and follow the slow intro method as described here.

[sparkysmum]

I take my intros over months. Although it's prob too slow for most people it's nice & gentle & no hard feelings. I am currently introducing two young scots dumpies to my existing hens. I got them about 3 weeks ago. They have their own run & temp. housing. They all f/r together all day. No squabbles. At night the dumpies have decided they would like to live with the sable poots and moved into their eglu! After a bit of minor disagreements the poots seem to have accepted this. In the mornings, the poots really don't like the dumpies in their run so I open the egg port & the dumpies jump out All very comical

There is no question however of either the poots or dumpies living with the original hens - they seem to know this wouldn't work so I don't even think about it.

 

It really is worth taking intros extra slowly ( well for me at any rate) as I really hate seeing disagreements between fundamentally gentle birds.

 

Hoping things work out for you, Alli xx

[Olly]

I'd agree - long, slow intros, although a nuisance, are the best way to integrate your hens.

If it isn't working, go back a stage and start again - I'd return to separating them day and night, until they are more used to each other. Once blood has been drawn, subsequent pecking can be fatal.

 

I don't think there's any guarantee that removing the non-layer would make the other hen suddenly more friendly; if anything she may feel even more threatened without her companion.

[Chucky Mama]

I think that slow intros are the way to go. You can't start culling birds and 'interfering' with the natural pecking order. Our lowest hen in the pecking order became the top chicken when we lost 2 recently. Completely unexpected but they worked out the natural order themselves. Away from the bullying issue your non laying hen that it looking 'pretty sad' may actually be ill. Have you checked her abdomen out for any swelling?

[gongladosh]

I'm with Egluntyne and Chucky Mama - IMHO culling should be a last resort for serious problems, rather than a solution born of convenience.

 

As above, I'd take time with the intros - do that and they'll be fine. If the hens are <20 weeks, you'll likely need to keep them apart from the big girl until they're 20 or so weeks old. Older hens will gun for chicks in a big way. Even anti-peck spray won't work when you have a mature hen and chicks. It's fine for the older girl to be nearby but separated - as long as she *sees* other hens she'll cope until they're old enough to be merged.

 

You may have an ill hen to sort out however, - a trip to the vet may be a good idea.

 

Oh, and welcome to the forum, Dan!

[danw]

Thanks all.

 

I've re-purposed an old enclosed cat-litter tray for the young ones and they are all tucked up in there and will be until I can get my hands on something more suitable. Just need to find the time to build a better run and house for them...

 

Thanks again for your advice, Dan.