Cube Mark One Run

[Henslaved]

On the 9th June I got two new girls, Scoot a welsummer bantam? and Muppet a gold laced dotte bantam.

 

I have them in a mini run inside my WIR. To say the old girls (Greta and Rosie) were non too pleased would be an understatement.

 

I let them out to FR together for a couple of hours of an evening, they stay in two separate groups.

 

The new girls know their place in the pecking order but Rosie is being a real meanie, especially towards Muppet, even when she squats in surrender Rosie continues to peck her really hard which is when she gets the water pistol.

 

For the last week I have been putting them all together at night (spraying the newbies with anti-peck spray and waiting till the old girls are sleepy of course). And for the first time last night Scoot decided she wanted to go and sleep with the big girls and abandoned her friend Muppet. I kept watch while she attempted to make it on to the roosting bars, which she did eventually but took a quite bit of a beating from both Rosie and Greta although no blood was drawn. At this point I couldn't watch anymore so I removed Scoot and put her back with Muppet till the old girls were a little more sleepy.

 

Should I have left her in there and put Muppet in when they were all settled?

 

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Sorry for the long post but I was hoping they would have settled by now as I wanted to get another two girls in a couple of weeks.

[sjp]

personaly I'd have left her as long as no blood was drawn they will push and shove newbies over perch space for a few weeks then one night the same girls will all be snuggled up togeather like they've been togeather for years

[Henslaved]

Thanks sjp, I will try to be a little braver tonight and leave them to it. Just hope it will be the same case when food is involved, as Rosie seems to think every bit of food belongs to her and she must eat it all as fast as possible .

[Redwing]

I'd separate off Rosie for a few days and let the others bond then reintroduce Rosie so she is the one on new ground

[Henslaved]

Do you mean put her in the mini run so she can still see the others and let the newbies out or remove her from sight? Should I also keep her in when the others are out FR?

[Henslaved]

Well Rosie is now in the mini run and the two banties are in the WIR with Greta. Needless to say Rosie isn't best pleased with the idea and is currently eating some of the woodshavings on the floor and pacing up and down furiously. Greta looks a little perplexed. But little Muppet has just had her first uninterrupted dust bath . And poor Scoot looked rather alarmed when Rosie decided to investigate their nest box (into which Scoot had just laid an egg, which I removed before letting Rosie in there, but poor Scoot didn't know that).

 

Fingers crossed this will work .

[Henslaved]

Well the separation of Rosie has made no difference what so ever . I re-introduced her and she is exactly the same. Greta is the only one she doesn't bully (probably because Greta is top chook and her best friend). But unfortunately I am having to have Greta PTS , so who knows what will happen then .

[Olly]

Sorry to hear about Greta. If the top chook goes, that will alter the dynamic - Rosie may become top chook, and the bullying may decrease. Only time will tell, but in my experience it's often the hens lower down the pecking order that feel most need to establish their position - the top chicken doesn't need to try so hard.

[Henslaved]

Sadly Greta has now gone to the great coop in the sky , and Rosie has now become top chook. Greta was Rosies' best friend and has been looking around for her (heartbreaking to watch). Was just wondering how long should I leave it before introducing a couple of new girls .