Unsecure chicken perches

[smartrus]

Hi all. I have a dilemma. I really need more eggs, therefore more chickens. I currently have 5 rhode island, sussex cross who are wonderful. I've never had a problem with pecking or any aggression. However I am thinking of doubling the size of the flock to 10. I have been researching for a week now reading blog after you tube after forum and am now more confused than when I started!!!! There are so many views and experiences, from those who have done it several times successfully to those who have had a complete disaster! There are many ways of introducing them so what I'm asking is 1. should I get some? 2. how do I do it? I am worried about upsetting the calm! Any help welcome.

[clucker1]

I am a newbie relatively, but we have now done 2 lots of intros, and did them both very very slowly and it paid off. The first ot took 8 weeks because one of the chickens was only 14 week and ideally you should wait until they are 21/22 weeks old and on top of that she was and is completely STUPID and the second lot took about 4-5 weeks,again on of them was 16 weeks when purchased and you can definitely see the development of the chickens as they progress especially re spatial awareness. I used the topic on here about introducing chickens and it helped a lot. If you need more eggs it has got to be done! No point in having chickens if you don't have enough eggs!

[smartrus]

Thanks, can I ask how you did it??

[clucker1]

We have a walk in run with cube attached. Within the run is an old rabbit hutch which we call the chicken's hotel, it is 2 floors with an upstairs which is ideal for the chickens to go to bed in and lay eggs in. We put the newbies into the hotel and they stayed in there 10-14 days. For the next 2 weeks when the older chickens were let out to free range, the new chickens were let out into the run, so they could familiarise themselves with it ie food points, water points etc. After this for the next 2 weeks all chickens free ranged together in the afternoon going back into the hotel and enclosure afterwards. The next week or so I would let the new chickens out into the run for a short while ie 15 mins and build it up gradually over the week until it was all afternoon, with and extra watering spot and feed point and access back into the hotel with exits incase of fights. The final week they were fine, perhaps a few niggles but otherwise ok. I seem to remember the tricky bit was catching the new girls after free ranging to put them back into the hotel. I hope this helps. I know this is a mega slow approach, but it did work with no blood being lost by anyone as I really did not want to go down that route having read some of the posts on here. I hope this makes sense!

[smartrus]

That sounds like a very sensible approach to me. We have a run large enough to fence a bit off and an area to free range, also got the loan of an eglu. I have no time limits so I am prepared to take our time, I would rather that than blood shed! Thanks so much for the advice, I feel a bit better now. Do you think POL chickens would be OK, I will get exactly the same breed and make sure they have grown enough before letting them out together.

[clucker1]

POL sounds great and then you will get more eggs too. Good luck.

[smartrus]

Thanks

[jackian]

I agree with clucker 1 and can't really add much more.

I was the same as you worried about upsetting the original girls.

It took us about 4 - 5 weeks and apart from Poppy screaming like a fish wife constantly for a few days , chasing and odd peck it went well and we did almost the same as clucker 1.

Poppy was bottom of the pecking order when we got our new girls and she just did not want to be bottom any more..and she succeeded,little Rosie is now but happy and they are all the best of friends.

From what i have read on here if there is constant bullying you seperate the bully to take her down a peck or two not the one being pecked.

Patience is the key...Good luck and let us know how you get on .

 

Jackie

[smartrus]

Thanks for the advice, I am hoping to introduce the same number as I already have so at least they are on a level pegging. When things settle down is the flock as harmonious as it always was or do they still scuffle?

[jackian]

Mine are the best of friends.We introduced 2 to 2 as we had lost one .Two months after we did this one of the newbys had to be PTS and I thought that it would go back a step but no it was still good although for a while Rosie the newby left was like the newby in the school playground trying to impress

There is a box that the two oldies sat on to preen and she did not attempt to jump on it until 3 months had passed .Then suddenly she got brave and jumped .

[smartrus]

Ah that's great, its good to hear successful stories, there are so many horror ones about! They look lovely, hope our experience is that rosy!!

[clucker1]

Ours scuffle, it like sibling rivalry really. Nothing serious, just a chicken chased out of the way to remind her of her place in the world! My 7 chickens have 3 feeding points and 2 water points. At treat time, we bring in 2 bowls which sorts them, sometimes one bowl and they do normally eat out of it all together.

[dance in the dark]

I think yes, slowly but surely is the best way. If you keep them in the run most of the time let them be able to see each other ALL THE TIME.

 

Also, two of my other best tips for success. Make sure the newbies have their own space. Don't try anything like keeping the newbies in the big ones run and letting the other fr around them or something because then they just feel their safest space is threatened. Are you planning on getting a bigger house and housing all of them together eventually? Or just having two houses? You can just shove them all into together, and it can work, but when trying to introduce some araucanas that way I found it far too traumatizing!

 

My other tip is give them lots of space. Do you have a decent sized free range area? That way if one chicken attacks another they can run off and hide, if you have a small area them it is harder for them to hide and can be more stressful

[smartrus]

We were going to fence off a bit of the run. We have a trellised area of the garden which is fairly big. (maybe not then?) We also have quite a large garden area for then to FR with lots of space. Should we therefore keep the newbies in the Fr area not in the run? Or maybe in the large part of the garden where the other chickens are not allowed, althought they wouldn't be able to see them really. What would you suggest?

[clucker1]

How big is your run? Do you have separate accomodation for your newbies that could fit into the run?

[smartrus]

Hi, yes, I have a run big enough and the loan of an eglu to put the newbies in. The plan was to section of a part of the run for them, let the flock out to FR and give the newbies the full run, putting all back where they came from at the end of the day!

[clucker1]

Do your present chickens free range all day at the present? If yes, I can't see any probs with your plans. Otherwise if they are allowed access to the run at the moment, they might be put out some newbies have arrived and taken over the run if you see what I mean, esp if their food source ie pellets are in there.

[smartrus]

They don't free range all day at the moment but I can arrange it so that they do! I can move the food out so they each have their own supply.

[clucker1]

Or do as you first suggested and divide the run up....space for the newbies and space with access to the big world for free ranging for the present residents. If you put your present girls out to free range all day, watch out for predators after the pellets. Also are the chickens safe from Mr Fox when they free range.

[smartrus]

OK decision made . I will do that. Section off the far end of the run for the newbies (look don't touch!) for a good while, giving the originals time to FR while newbies have the run. When they seemed settled and used to each other I will let them all out to FR at the end of the day, keeping a watchful eye! Then they will all go to bed back in their houses. At some stage I will be building a larger house and at this stage I will put the newbies and originals in the new house together, and enjoy a peaceful bliss of happy egg laying girls. All will be satisfied and we shall have double the eggs, more for us and more to sell to the neighbours!! We seem to have a plan!!!

[zakjon-98]

Sounds like a plan Do you plan to get them before the end of this year?

[smartrus]

Oh yes! ASAP!! I have a really good place to get them, they are fantastic, healthy hens, I can't wait to get some more! 5 more names to think of though! I really can't afford a cube as much as I'd love one, so I am thinking I will eventually get a shed and convert it. Maybe I should open up a new topic to get ideas for that. Maybe someone out there has a good plan and some photos!

[clucker1]

Sounds great, good luck! Let us know how you get on and good luck choosing your new girls, how eggsciting!

[smartrus]

Thanks, your advice has really helped put my mind at ease with such good sensible suggestions. I will now get ready for the new arrivals!