AJuff Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Hello, I am now the proud owner of three new hens. A white hybrid (Daisy), a black rock (Darcy Vader) and a brown nick (Delia). The children chose them for their nice colours! I put them into their eglu this afternoon and all was fine for an hour. Then the white hen started being nasty to the other two by pecking at them. The other two look very scared of her. Now when the Diasy (white hybrid) is in the run the other two are inside the eglu and when Daisy is in the eglu the other two are in the run. Is this normal, what am I to expect over the next few days? Will they be ok tonight? AJuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 They'll snuggle up together tonight so don't worry about that. There are bound to be a few skirmishes to start with but it should settle down. Distract the white one occasionally so that the other two can eat and drink, or put extra food and water containers out. Good luck and don't worry too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Ditto all of the above, great advice Egluntine. If you want very cheap extra feeders/drinkers i got some large ones usually used for caged brids from Pets At Home each one hold about a large mug of food/water and are great as they hook over the bars of the bars of the run - cost about £1.40 each and my girls really like them I know its hard to watch them when they are having a few cross words but it will end - if possible let them free range while you are with them so they can have a little more space to roam about in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted June 9, 2007 Author Share Posted June 9, 2007 Thank you for the reassurance. Daisy is in the eglu now and the others are out eating and drinking well. I'll be watching to see if they do snuggle up. Perhaps I should have gone for the two Brown nicks and two Sussex hens that were together in one ark. It's just my son really wanted a black hen that we ended up multi-coloured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 They will all get on in a few days time so dont worry, having a multi-coloured bunch is a great choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted June 9, 2007 Author Share Posted June 9, 2007 Do you think I should close the eglu door tonight or would that be asking for trouble? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Do you think I should close the eglu door tonight or would that be asking for trouble? I can't advise you on that, as I have had no experience of squabbles, but I leave my door open but the run firmly secured, so that the girls can get up as early as they like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 If you are worried, it may be better to close the door for a couple of nights. I was a bit worried that the underdog of my Purple Princesses was being turfed out of the eglu in the night because I kept finding her asleep in the run in the early morning. Just a thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxy Loxy Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 I had exactly the same problem when I had mine on the first day. I shut the eglu door. I felt so sorry for my hen that was getting picked on (Martini) but after a couple of days all that bullying stopped and they all snuggle up together and there is no more pecking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted June 9, 2007 Author Share Posted June 9, 2007 After checking on the girls every ten minutes I can finally relax knowing that at last they have all snuggled up together for the night. I've decided to leave the eglu door open so that they can escape pecks if they need too. I've also put out lots of food in different parts of the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 That sounds like a very sensible plan. The pecking will get easier over the next few days and it's usually over within a week as the head hen emerges so bear with them and let them fight it out and only intervene if you have to if one of them is getting hurt or distressed. I think you're handling it very well indeed and things can only get better . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
