jackian Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My new girls arrived this morniong to join Poppy and Clover .They have therir own temporary WIR run which we erected yesterday in the freeeeezing cold. I did not know what to expect but OH my goodness POppy and Clover made the most awful racket for at least 2 hours. Screaming constantly ,even though they were out in the garden at the time and the new girls were in their WIR ..Is this normal They settled down though doing their usual chickeny things.The new girls were fine together . They have a seperate coup and I went shopping for an hour and of course when I came back the "old girls were tucked up in bed and the new girls still out in the dark...Rose the was easily picked up and put in the coup but Jet (cos she is black OH idea not mine ) was really scared ,She really panicked ,we had a job to get her in ...What is the best way to deal with this Tomorrow is another day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Sounds like perfecly normal behavior from your original girls they will soon get used to the newbies and quieten down as for getting them to bed shine a torch in the nest box and they will follow the light they might get it first time or need a couple of lessons before they learn where to go at bedtime enjoy your new girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I agree, they will settle down in a few days They will soon get used to going to bed but you may have to post them in to the coop for a couple of nights, the torch trick that KK recommends is a good one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My girls did the same thing on Sunday morning, the new girls arrived Saturday afternoon, and the oldies just watched. Come Sunday morning they were shouting like mad and taking it in turns running up and down the front of the run for about 3 hours. Apparently yesterday they were the same, but a little quieter and not for so long, so hopefully today will be a little quieter and shorter again until normal service resumes. I am going to let them out at the weekend so they can have a walk around the run with the new girls safely inside and see how it goes. The new girls are still far too young to go in with the oldies and will need to fatten up a bit, so they can hold their own but I think it will help if they get to meet each other, safely, occaisionally, in the longer term when they do all get together. I have everything crossed for a nice long slow introduction, poor Bluebell had a torrid time after following the breeders advice to just let them look at each other for a day, then put them all in bed together and that was it, it was horrible to watch, slow and steady all the way this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Thank you for your replies , this morning when the "old girls came out of the coup at about 7.30 and I let the new ones out , Poppy was screaming like an old fish wife (or is it chicken wife ) I had to leave them all as i had to work until 1pm...I worried all morning about them ,I was not sure if it was from cold or nerves I came home at 1 dreading what I might find but each was in their own WIR (joined together) donig chicken things... Of course there is a long way to go yet . Duncan I have the same plan as you ,I have a day off tomorrow so will keep an eye open but at the weekend let them out together slowly.It was suggested that I let them at it straight away but I did not think that was fair on old or new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Jackian, I think that their ages has a lot to do with it. As a complete beginner,(one weeks experience) I introduced Vanilla, (who has since died) and Bluebell who came from the same breeder and were all kept together in one pen. Vanilla was already laying and was certainly a lady rather than a young lady. She held her own and had no problems at all. Bluebell was not laying, her comb was still tiny and dark and did not come into lay for about 4/5 weeks, she was constantly picked on, even when just standing still, once she came into lay and grew bigger than the others life became much easier for her. She still has a bald patch on her tail though Although I do think that Bluebell may turn out to be the bully this time around, not from anything in particular I just have a hunch she will be the one to watch. I also think if you have hundreds of chooks, you dont notice it so much so it becomes less of an issue and you are more inclined to let them sort it out, when you only have a handful and you watch them intently you tend to notice every little peck and take every one personally. There also tends to be a lot more room in the breeders pens rather than our back gardens so again the problem is not so stark, its not that the breeders are wrong, its just that we keep our tiny little flocks differently. I am looking forward to them all living happily together, but won't rush it this time. Good Luck with your girls, keep us updated as you go, it all helps the rest of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
