Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[tmac]

Hello there!

We have two 2-year old hens who have been happily living in their Eglu cube since they were 11 weeks old. This spring we got 3 new chicks and they are about ready to join the big girls outside (they are 10 weeks old now). I was wondering if anyone has any experience with introducing new chickens to their existing flock? We've been letting them free range in the back yard all together and the little chickens keep to themselves, while the old hens complain vocally and one even pecks at the little ones. We've put them all in the Cube on two occasions and it is not exactly ideal for either party. Lots of pecking and vocal complaining. And this is just in the run area (yes we have extended the run)! As far as inside the coop, the hens refuse to go inside if the little chickens are in there, and vice versa. I am beginning to wonder if we need to get a separate coop for the little chickens. If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it!

[Olly]

There's a sticky here about introductions, but at 10 weeks they are too young to be integrated yet. The sticky is entitled 'introducing point of lay hens' and you need to wait another 6-8 weeks before you try to merge them.

[tmac]

Thanks for the info!

[dance in the dark]

Yes, you can't really fully introduced them yet as the babies are too young to look after themselves. I would suggest getting a cheap, temporary coop put it in the area where you existing girls free range and, for the most part, keep the new girls locked up. When you define the territory it makes it much easier initially.

 

After a few weeks without direct beak on feather action, but maybe the odd attempt at a fight through the coop run, they will most likely get on fine. You can buy pretty coop quality coops with a decent amount of run space for three growers from ebay for about £100, and when they are old enough you should be able to have them all live together. It's always a good idea to maintain a spare coop anyway for any future introductions (which I sense, if you only have five hens, and a eglu cube will follow) or if one of your girls gets ill and need to be kept separately.

 

I remember when I first introduced some girls and I thought "my chickens are lovely, they wouldn't attack newbies, i'll be able to let them free range for a couple of days, they bung them in the house with them, it'll be fine." I was naive to say the least....

 

Tim

[cavs cats n chicks]

I have just been through a similar thing - I have an old girl of over 3 and one new baby, left on her own from the hatch. I put baby in a dog crate for a few days next to the main run and they wandered the garden together for half an hour of an evening with no problems. The breeder told me to pop baby in the eglu at night and this was where I had the problem. I have moved her dog crate into the big run there is lots of shrubs and hiding places but tbh they take no notice of each other. Hubby has made a small cage 'thingy' that fits round the nest box at night and once big girl has gone to bed I pop baby into the nest box behind her cage they can see and smell each other but cant touch, and seem to be getting on well and has solved night time problem. My baby is just over 12 weeks, some might say not ideal but it has worked for me. My big girl has been very good and I think she is glad of the company. Hope you manage to find a solution.

[..lay a little egg for me]

@cavs cats n chicks: I think it does make a difference if you have a solo chicken. When we had all but one taken by a fox last year, the old girl spent the first 5 days (while the two new chickens were being kept in) alongside the coop trying to be with them. We let them roost together overnight and let the old one out first thing in the morning but kept the new ones in. After 5 days, when we let the new chickens out they were fully integrated almost immediately. I think the old one needing company together with the new ones being a bit overawed by the new home meant they didn't bother about fighting.

 

It is a different matter when you are trying to integrate new chickens into an existing flock.

[tmac]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I think we will get a temporary coop (like a dog house and convert it to a coop somehow) for the new chickens outside. They are getting way too big for their brooder box now, but they're still too small to live with the old hens. Hopefully they'll all get along as they get more and more used to seeing each other out in the yard. fingers crossed!

[noyan]

Hi don't know if this will help. I have made the underneath of my cube as a nursery/hospital area. Have a cat carrier for them to sleep in.. Have introduced three babies this way with no problem .. They were separate for about two months At the moment am using the area for my little polish who is a being bullied by the newest girls. Feed corn next to the wire so they get used to eating together.