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

[Charhaha]

Hello all,

New to the forum and at my wits end. Apologies for the long post, but I would really appreciate some advice. We re-homed 3 RIR hybrid chicks from eggs that my daughter's school hatched 3 years ago, Rosie, Jasmine and Clover. We lost Jasmine 2 months ago as she had a tumour Clover has always been smaller than the other 2 and was bottom of the pecking order. After Jasmine died, we adopted 2 new POL hens - a cream legbar and a white rock as the other 2 were laying fewer eggs and I thought it would be easier to introduce 2 new hens to the original 2.... How wrong I was!

 

I had both pairs in separate eglus and runs next to each other for the first month so they could see each other, and gradually started giving them time together in an enclosure, free-ranging, increasing the time each day. Rosie is now getting on fine with the 2 new hens (and is sharing a run and eglu quite happily with them) but Clover is still very, very aggressive towards them - pinning them down on the ground, plucking feathers, pecking their heads and pulling their wings. Clover is therefore in the sin-bin, on her own in the other eglu and run and has been for nearly 2 weeks. She is losing feathers and weight. However, when I put them all together in the enclosure, she is *STILL* attacking them. I would really like them all together in one run, particularly as I have ordered a lovely new WIR from Aviaries4u and will be using a cube but I can't leave them all in 1 run at the moment because of the viciousness of the bullying. I should also say, that the 3 hens are in an extended run of 4 metres.

 

I have tried anti-pecking spray, extra feeders and drinkers, distractions and nothing is working. In fact, when I tried putting them all in the same run just now, Rosie started copying Clover and began attacking the 2 new ones, as opposed to the occasional little peck, marking her position in the pecking order

 

Apologies again for the long post, does anyone have any ideas how to resolve this? Letting them get on with it is not an option as it goes so far beyond a little pecking. When put together, the 2 new ones become extremely agitated around Clover and it is horrible to watch. They are fine with Rosie.

Thanks in advance....

[Chickabee]

How long did you leave them together. It can take quite some time usually about 2 weeks for the pecking order to be sorted. You could wait until you've got your walk in run. The bullied hens need to be able to run away and jump on perches. You could also make a cage within the WIR so the girls can see each other eat and scratch etc at the same time. Eventually the bullies should forget that the newbies were ever a problem.

 

It is horrible though but as long as they don't draw blood all should be ok.

 

Good luck

[paulad]

we have just gone thru this (although not quite as bad I don't think)

We had 2 POL hybrids and we have just introduced 3 ex bats who are half the size and very scrawny.

 

We kept them in the WIR but fenced off from each other for 2/3 weeks - it wasn't pretty when we put them together but it was too awful either.

 

You say they have been together for a month so I would have thought it shud be easier

 

But I agree with Sonyascott - wait till your WIR has arrived.

 

Our ex bats love to perch and jump on the box away from the other 2 - anywhere they can hide is great for them.

 

They are all getting along now in the main - just think it takes time and patience.

 

Good luck xxx

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, sorry you're having such a problem with bullying .

 

In my experience it can sometimes take a up to a couple of months for things to settle down. As Sonya says, things might be easier to manage in the WIR so if it's not too long away, it might be worth waiting. If you can arrange a lot of high up planks and perches all the better (have a look in my signature link & you'll see what I've got in mine).

 

I have one poor little girl that gets constantly bullied (started after over a year of no bullying at all ). She spends all her time up high and the others ignore her, it's only when they're on the ground together they jump on her.

[paulad]

p.s pecking spray didn't work for us either - although defo keep up with the separate feeders and drinkers - it defo means they will all get fed at least

[Egluntyne]

I'd either put a bumpa bit on her, or move her out of sight for a while, say a couple of weeks, so that the others forget about her and hopefully, the tables will turn and she'll be the bottom of the pile, with the others ganging up on her. They may still squabble a bit.

[Charhaha]

Thanks so much for your replies. They're in the enclosure for between 2 and 4 hours most days (and have been for a month) and with the extra space, I'd hoped that this would help Clover to get used to them as her victims can run away from her. Clover spends the whole time chasing them and pinning them down.

I think the idea of waiting for the WIR to arrive in mid/end November and then segregating her within is a good plan. I'll also put perches up. I've had a look at the Bumpa Bit which I'll also fit although it looks positively medieval (!) but this won't stop her from jumping on them, poor things.

How long does it generally take if they are segregated within a run to get used to each other? If tis doesn't work, I don't know what to do

Thanks once again

[C&T]

If the 3 have the new WIR before Clover does, it will also mean it is not Clovers space, and may help the others. In effect, you will be introducing 1 new chook to 3 established in new surroundings. So keeping her completely separate until then could really work.

 

I second (third?) lots of perches etc - anything that makes chasing difficult! We have used canes in the past as well - anything to divide the space up so they can't run about easily, but have to duck and weave. Makes it a bit harder for the bully!

[Charhaha]

Thank you. All great advice Let's hope things improve soon X