Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[clucker1]

We have 1 x new skyline who is age 19 weeks, a flighty scaredycat and 1 x isa brown who is 21 weeks and "why can't I play with the big girls NOW as I take no prisoners!" The 2 newbies have been in their own run for 3 weeks now which is inside the wir, and allowed into the wir when the older girls are out free ranging ie not in the run. If the weather is nice this weekend, I am wondering about being brave and beginning the merging of them free ranging only out of the run. The last time, I sat there with a water spray that helped a lot and did it very very slowly as we had a lowly runt of the litter chicken who was hopeless at defending herself...so last time it took 8 weeks before the girls were all in the wir 24/7. I didn't want any blood shed and still don't. Any tips please.

[jackian]

When I introduced 2 to 2 (after losing one ) I did what you did and kept them together but apart for a couple of weeks.

They could see each other but the newbys did not FR .I then let the new girls FR on their own for an hour or so each day for a week and then gradually let them all out together but letting the new girls out first so they had found their place to be. ...I did not have any problems except the odd peck but I did take my time.

I must admit I had heard so many horror stories I did not sleep at night when I first got them

I hope this helps . Good Luck !

[clucker1]

Thanks for that.....will do some free ranging with the newbies this weekend by themselves as a starting point to the big outdoors. The old girls will have their beaks put out of joint and be in a big mood with me I know!!!!! This afternoon I didn't let them out...far too windy and the evil looks I have had plus marching up and down the run, busy looking at me and glaring, wondering why they aren't out!

[clucker1]

Update, had them all free ranging for nearly 2 hours this pm. Not too many scuffles at all. It was all quite calm really compared with our first time of merging new chickens...... when Cluck (then bottom of the pecking order) was into BIG fights. Hoping it keeps up like this. No OH tomorrow around to help me get the babies back in, so will have to see if I can brave it by myself. The babies did seem quite sensible, didn't venture far and came back easily when they saw the food bowl. Quite easy to separate the old girls and babies into their appropriate accomodation too.

[jackian]

Im so glad it is going OK. I do remember that the "old girl " making the most fuss was the one bottom of the pecking order.\others on here said it was she did not want to be bottom anymore ,so making her presence known.

[clucker1]

Thanks for that Jackian. And it was quite funny as the new BIG girl who is an ISA brown and really has wanted to play with the big girls since we first got her 3 weeks ago, picked a fight with Darthveda our TOP chicken......who "Ooops, word censored!"ODY would dare to do that with and came off ok.

[clucker1]

Day 2 of merging....I popped the old girls out for a free range, followed by about 10 mins later the newbies, who took their time to venture out. It was a very peaceful affair, a few pecks, but that was it really. Even left them to it for 5 mins initially and then 10 minutes later on. Both of the newbies didnt venture far, Matilda the scaredycat who is only 19 weeks stayed in the run for most of the time, I guess she will get her confidence up in the next few days and she is really still a baby. Got them all back in their respective accomodation, so far so good compared with last time.

[clucker1]

Woohoo! They are all tucked up in the cube tonight for the first time. They had a good long free ranging session this afternoon/evening....then got them in with food, not too many fights at all, very relaxed so decided to go for it. Cube door left open! Its all going so well compared with last time when Dimrose was sooooooooooo dim! Well, lets see what happens in the morning!

[clucker1]

OK, well it was all going so well....it still is really BUT.....last night or should I say this morning @5am, an enormous commotion was going on. OH went down to sort it all out, same thing happened again @0630. Sometimes Mr Fox crosses the garden about this time, the girls were all on full alert looking at something from the run. So, will be shutting them in tonight in an effort to dull the noise from the neighbours....it was like having a load of cockrels.

 

Then, during the morning there was a constant noise coming from the wir, if it wasn't one of them it was another, all making a huge noise....sometimes from the nest box, other times from the run. Sometimes, they do this, but normally only one particular chicken. It was really noisy and ALL morning I let them out to frange @1230, whereupon they all shut up except Cluck who continued for ages while trying to lay an egg in the nest box, which never materialised. Thankfully this pm it has all been quieter, with a mixture of free ranging and in the wir.

 

Could it all be they are trying to assert their authority or are just unsettled with the 2 new girls.....who incidentally have been as good as gold. Custard even managed to get into my feed bin when I was topping up the pellets and sat inside the feed sack scoffing!

 

I am very concerned about the neighbours complaining and I want to get a decent nights sleep. Any tips much appreciated. Incidentally, I gave them greens to keep them happy this morning in the wir incase they were bored.

[jackian]

Me again..I think they are training you now If they make enough racket you will let them FR. Mine whine and mutter at the back door thinking if they make enough racket I will throw them something to shut them up.

Mine come out of their coup at about 6 I know some on here block the light out of the coup/cube I would love a cube...so they still think it is dark.

Best I can come up with except patience.

[clucker1]

Thanks for that jackian. It is just weird that they haven't done anything like that before, only on merging. I will however stand no nonsense! They did give the whole of my nieghbourhood complete earache this morning and unless thyey behave themselves, they will end up as chicken pie (Not seriously though)

[clucker1]

Update! Just incase anyone is wondering!!!! After the last NOISY day, since then they have all been as good as gold. Phew!

[clucker1]

and meant to say, most importantly we are getting lots of little blue eggs from our Skyline, Matilda. The eggs are sooo pretty, nearly as pretty as Matilda herself.

[poppers77]

Marvelous news as we have been reading with interest, because when we get back from Iceland ( incidentally. Only gets dark here at 1am - when would their chickens go to bed here?!?!)

We will be getting 3 ex bats which will need introducing to ourexisting 2 remaining girls.

Hope it continues to go well for you.