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

[mcfee2]

hi

 

Well, I'm finally admitting defeat and have bought a proper hutch for Chester to get the classic ready for some new chickens

 

But... as always, I have a question...

 

I would ideally like one buff orp, one Marans and one Araucana. I've found sellers of around 10 week old growers of each. Would it work to get three from three different places on the same day and put them all in the eglu together that night or am I asking for trouble? with three already if I'm better introducing pairs at least at a time then I'm going to end up with nine

 

My plan was to keep them in the eglu until they are ready to change over to layers pellets and just to do introductions to the three we already have slowly, but I suddenly thought this morning that they might not like the trip to my house and abrupt intro to each other.

 

thanks

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm pretty sure people have got chickens from different suppliers even a few days apart and things have been fine. I suspect it's only a problem once they've got used to where they live and have established a pecking order and then newbies arrive.

[Chortle Chook]

I agree. I would think that the new surroundings and the strange journey would help to bond the three newbies one to another so that you will in effect have 2 flocks - the old and the new Your plans to integrate these two groups sound fine. The three breeds you have chosen sound like a lovely flock by the way

[Chicken deficient]

I think, as the others have said, that there would be no problems putting them together as they will all be new, BUT, it does triple your risk of bringing in disease.

It is really difficult finding one supplier that has the right selection!

[mcfee2]

thank you so much for the advice. I'm just nervous they might not settle. I've given up hope of cute fluffy bantams for the time being but really love the idea of the variations of eggs - and I REALLY want a big fluffy orp!

 

Poor Chester has moved out of his five star eglu into the hutch tonight and I have it prepped and ready for tomorrow - I'm going to see the orps and then the Marans - he has white or cuckoo hens, so I don't have a clue which to go for! I love the idea of white as it's so different but would be gutted if they eventually didn't lay brown eggs! The Araucana run is Friday after work, he has blacks which are my favourites...

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed that all is well, and try to fathom how to out photos on once the weekend cones and the dust starts to settle!

[mcfee2]

so I am now the proud owner of what is a tiny 12 week old buff orp, and a mammoth I suspect it's a few weeks older than 12 cuckoo marans, I'm utterly in love with the orp who is yet to be named...

 

tomorrow after work I go for the Araucana. I was good today and only bought singles but if they are cute as the orp then I may come back with more than one

[Chortle Chook]

Did you come back with more than one and are they all getting along together. I rather think that the sizing contrasts of the tiny Orp and the larger Marans will reverse however I doubt the pecking order will as Orps are such gentle beings

[mcfee2]

I did bring two Araucanas home in the end, and posted a new thread with photos of all of them.

 

tonight we moved the little ones in their eglu down inside the netting by the cube. the big girls came out and had a good look. both Dandelion and Fuchsia got themselves on top of the eglu run, I guess to show who's boss. Daisy doesn't seem to have a full set of feathers yet, but there were more Araucana feathers inside the eglu when I cleaned it out. and LOTS of poo! is that normal with growers?