Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[robbo100]

Hi all.

 

Last weekend, I introduced 2 new chickens to my existing flock of 4 birds. I have read a lot of other posts on this subject, but need some reassurance that I am not causing my new birds too much stress.

 

I have a fairly large run which splits into two parts. The first section comprises the house and 3 nest boxes and a 2 metre by 3 metre run, which has a door at the end opening into a wider run (made from hurdles topped with netting) which gives a further 2 metre by 5 metre area. So although not completely free to range around the garden they do still have quite a lot of space.

 

When I introduced the birds (6 days ago) I put the older birds (just under 1 year old) in the hurdle run, and put the two new birds in the 2 metre by 3 metre section of run (with the door shut so the two sets of birds could not mix) - with food a water on both sides of course. They didn't really pay any attention to each other, so just before dusk, I opened the dividing door so that they could roost together. There was a bit of fighting (mostly the lowest ranking old bird bullying the new ones), but it wasn't bad at all considering and they all slept together without any fuss.

 

Each day this week, I have ensured that I split the birds up for at least a couple of hours to give the new birds a break from the old ones (and kept two sets of water and food at all times to minimise fighting). However, as the week has passed, the bullying has got worse, the the point that the new birds are too frightened to come out of the house unless the old birds are locked out. This means that there is also terrible fighting whenever one of the old birds wants to lay an egg in the house when they come into the nest box and find one of the new birds hiding in it!

 

The pecking from the old birds is not sufficient to pull out any feathers, or to draw blood and they are all calm when roosting together (which is a good sign), but it is clearly stressful for the new birds during the daytime.

 

So what is the general advice? Keep them separated more than I am already doing, or allow them to mix so they can get it out of their systems ASAP? How long should I (normally) expect the bullying to continue before they become friends?

 

Thanks

 

Robbo100

[Olly]

I'd carry on - it sounds normal to me. If there's no blood being drawn, then let them get on with it, you are doing the right thing by giving them a break and making sure they have separate food and water stations. I introduced two new birds about four weeks ago and they are just starting to mix with the others. Put some branches or perches in to give them somewhere to escape to, and just keep an eye on things.

[robbo100]

Hi Olly,

 

Thanks for the quick reply. Good tip on the perches, I will see if I can find something suitable for them.

 

Robbo100

[Mumpty]

I've just introduced 3 new birds to my dwindling flock of now just 2 three year olds. They have been very vocal and there has been a lot of pecking today and when I last looked, the newbies were in bed, but the old girls were standing their ground outside the cube (in the sheltered run though) I hope things settle, they're so horrible to each other aren't they.

 

Looks like we both need some good luck.

[Doris 12]

I'm about to introduce new girls to my flock of now 3, not sure if i should get 2 or 3 new girls, the 3 i have are all about 3 years and all is Happy in the Hen house, we sadly lost Chopper Chicken last week which leaves us with 3 and as i am only getting roughly 1 Egg every other day between them all, want to add to the flock.

I am in two minds really about getting newbies, I have done this once before and remember how unpleasant it is for the first couple of weeks, also as my Girls are quite old ladies and mill around quite happily (even with our Labradoodle, Lily) I am reluctant to rock the boat and stress them out. What to do?

Hope your Girls settle down very soon.

[Mumpty]

Only now am I reading all the threads about the settling in of new and old. It's too late to go back now, but I am worried that tomorrow all hell will break lose and I'll have injured chickens right left and centre!

 

We lost two girls back in the spring leaving three and they have been toddling about happily with the odd egg here and there. Last week my friends dog attacked one of our chickens and she had to be put to sleep, leaving two. So we decided to add more and build the flock up, but I am now soooooooo worried, I know I'll sleep badly.

[Mercedes55]

It is hard and there seem to be different views on integrating. I've had a lot of people tell me to just mix them in from day one and let them get on with it. We've been doing a lot of introductions lately and I have to say there are days I just have to go back into the house and let them get on with it or I would be sitting there all day watching out for trouble.

 

We bought 4 new girls about 3wks ago and made a separate run for them in our large WIR. At night we let them out so they could sleep in the Cube with our pure breeds who are about 15mths old. However 2 of the new girls suddenly started laying eggs, so couldn't really leave them with the younger ones who were still on growers pellets, so we took the plunge and left them in with the pure breeds and they have been absolutely fine.

 

Yesterday OH went and took one of our latest purchases back to the breeder to find out exactly what breed it is and to make sure it was a hen as we had been told there was a possibility we had bought a cockerel. Good news was yes she is a hen, then OH came home with her and a bluebell too. Not the best idea to integrate just one hen I know, but we thought as the 2 she would be with had only been with us for 3wks that they would be fine. Right away the 2 young ones started on the bluebell and we had to make a run within their run with food and water so that she would be okay. By nightfall we took that out and went out shopping. When we got back all 3 young girls had roosted on a high perch OH had built earlier yesterday for the bluebell to escape to, so we left them there all night as they seemed fine up there.

 

This morning the 3 young ones seem to be fine and so far haven't seen any nastiness, but we have kept the extra food and water in there just in case. Like you I am hoping it will all settle down and they will all get along nicely but some days I do wonder what the heck I am doing

[Doris 12]

Good luck with your new girls Mumpty. I have decided to go ahead and increase my flock, will be getting them on Wednesday. I am wondering if i should get 3 so there are 3 new and 3 established making even numbers, or to get 2 new so as not to put the old girls noses out of joint too too much???

[Chooksrus]

I introduced 3 x 16 week old to my 1 ex-batt after my other 3 died over the last few months. In the spring I built a run onto the cube and extension, leaving the end in place so that I split the run into 2. I put the 1 old'un into the run with a rabbit hutch and the 3 new ones into the cube run. I have kept them separate for the most part but have let them mix for parts of the day. The old'un has been allowed to free-range at times, leaving the new ones to ge used to the full run.

 

Since yesterday I have kept the hatch between both sections open and am just letting them get on with it. The new ones are quicker and can get out of the way. They tend to sit on the hutch which gives them breathing space and are more confident with themselves now. The old'un hasn't quite accepted them yet but seems have eased up a bit - I did use a water spray to keep her in check over the last 3 days.

 

Last-night the old'un slept in the cube with the new ones after the door to the hutch got closed - not intentional but seem to have worked out. As the old'un was the first in she wasn't going to let the new ones in. I opened up the nest box and the old'un set herself in there and the new ones kept to the perching area. There was some moaning going on but I think it worked ok. I left the door open to allow them to get out when light and to give the new ones an escape out when the old'un woke up. So, that's it now, I'll leave them to it. I'm getting another 5 soon and need these 4 to get along so to be able to split the section again for the new ones.

[robbo100]

I thought I would reply 1 week down the line to let people know how things are going (in the hope that it might help others who are introducing new chickens to an existing flock).

 

Well, things have calmed down quite a lot. The last week has been a slow and gradual improvement and they are still far from best buddies, but the older birds can now tolerated being within the run with the new birds.

 

Unfortunately when cleaning out the house today, I noticed that there was an infestation of redmite on the perch and on the walls. Considering I gave the house a really good clean before introducing the new birds I was amazed how quickly it had taken hold. Could it be that the new birds had red mite and introduced it to the house? Would it spread that quickly (two weeks since I introduced them)?

 

Anyhow, I have de-loused all the birds and sprayed the house and left it to ventilate, which has forced all the birds into the run together (and for the first time the new birds can not hide in the nest boxes). Initially they had some really bad fights, but I threw LOADS of corn in the run to distract them all and they seem to have all calmed down (for now).

 

The main problem now is that the amount of eggs I am getting has taken a massive dive (one per day from the flock), but this is likely due to the stress of the new introductions, no doubt made worse by the mites.

 

Anyway, hopefully the gradual improvement will continue and the mites will be controlled, and that the next couple of weeks will bring a steady return to lots of eggs!

 

Cheers

 

Robbo100