serenlas Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I love my 3 girls and am considering adding a couple more to the mix! I was just wondering what people use as the temporary accomodation for the newbies, until they're ready and willing to go and live with the established flock? All I have at the moment is an Eglu classic and a WIR that's approx 3m x 2m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I kept my Eglu run when I built my WIR so use that and a cheap pet carrier from Pets At Home. At one point, I did section off a part of the WIR (with the pet carrier within it) - would that be an option for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 For young pre-POL hens we use a converted rabbit hutch with perches within a wire run in the WIR so right from the get go they can all see each other. With hens that are at POL we take all the hens to a separate and lush part of the garden, where we have previously gathered worms, bugs etc and put them all down together - this has worked everytime as they seem more pre-occupied by the feast infront of them than anything else. After the feast is finished we walk them back to the run (dusk seems to work best) and usher them all into the coop. We've done this on 8 separate occassions and although the next day there may be a bit of pecking etc they settle much faster than the way we used to do intros which was slowly and it took weeks. I personally think as long as you arent putting babies in that cant defend themselves that this works well. For pre-POL hens they are introduced after they have laid their first egg...but the adult hens have been able to see them from the second they arrived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serenlas Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 I have a large cat carrier and also a disused 2 tier guinea pig hutch, I wonder if I could put something together. I've seen that some people divide their run with canes which would also work I think, although it'd mean a very small area.. about 2x2 for the existing three and 2 x 1 for the newbies which would have to include their houses.. hmm! Good to know that you don't have to buy a whole new set-up unless you want one anyway, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzagerkin Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 i used a rabbit hutch for times when we were not at home and at night and a 4 x6 foot rabbit run for day time to keep them seperated from the old girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
