4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Flowerpot]

As you can tell by the topic I am very new to hen keeping and I have just had one of my hens die - Rosie.

She had a prolapse and the vet and I hoped that she would survive but I came home yesterday to find her dead. It looked as if she had just keeled over and died where she stood. There was no sign of struggle thank goodness.

 

My other girls seemed very distressed so I let them into the rest of the garden from the run whilst I took her out and freshened up everywhere as best I could. Yesterday I thought I would just keep the three of them but this morning I decided I wanted to have four hens because the Eglu cube is really too big for three and somehow three seems too few to have.....I don't know why!

 

Anyway I am not sure what to do about getting another hen.

Should I get one the same type as Rosie for the sake of my other girls?

Should I get two so that I am not just introducing one new one? I am happy to have five not four - there is more than enough space for five and I do love them!

 

Can anyone offer me any advice please?

Thanks

Flowerpot

[Daphne]

Firstly, I'm sorry to hear about Rosie

 

Secondly, definitely get 2 hens - one is likely to get picked on by your existing girls; its just hen's nature to establish the pecking order. With 2 newbies they can get together and be companions until they get accepted into the gang.

 

What breed hens do you have already? If you have hybrids, I'd be inclined to get more hybrids, which don't have to be exactly what you already have, there is plenty of choice in terms of colour and appearance. Hybrids are vaccinated, which pure breeds aren't always, and there is some thought that you shouldn't mix the two. In addition, hybrids can be a bit feisty to other breeds, (not always), and it will just make your life easier not to have to contend with that.

[gavclojak]

Defiantly more that one girl for all the above reasons.

how about a few nice ex commercial girls? I am helping the BHWT at a rehoming this Saturday, if your interested contact hen central and reserve your ladies

[Beantree]

Hello Flowerpot. I agree with Daphne entirely. I wouldn't advise getting just one hen. Introductions will be far more difficult and she will always be a loner. Choice of breed depends on the temperament of the others. A docile breed may be very unhappy with an aggressive breed. But they should both be the same breed and colour as like hens buddy up and generally remain friends, in my experience that is, although we have had some exceptions. If Rosie fitted in fine why not get two more of the same breed? As Daphne says there is an issue with immunisation infection, so if you have hybrids now you should stick with them. Or if you have Pedigrees which haven't been immunised, get the same.

 

I know Gavclojak suggests ex-bats, but people tell me they are a whole lot more trouble than they are worth nowadays with high mortality rates, poor egg quality or no eggs at all and a tendency to prolapse. 5 years ago ex-bats were a good option, but no longer in my opinion.

[Chickabee]

I would for for 2. As for mixing, I've got hybrids and pure breeds together. No probs at all.

 

As for ex bats. I got 4 last year, they are lovely. They have been laying all through the winter, really nice eggs too.

 

Mine are separate from my other hens though, as I didn't want them to get bullied

[gavclojak]

Oh beantree, I have to disagree with you on that one. I have had my ex commercial girls for a year, they are thriving...laying excellent quality eggs all through the dark days too. what they lack in appearance they more that make up for in personality.

If they were not hardy little girls they wouldn't have made it through to the day they get released!

[Patricia W]

I've got pure breeds, hybrids, including ex-bats and although they keep to their own " kind" in their social groups, have had no trouble in mixing them. It's only worth getting ex-bats if you are prepared for the fact that they have a limited egg laying life and a limited life. It's extremely rewarding seeing them learn to be chickens for the first time.

 

I echo everyone's advice to get 2. It will be so much easier integrating them.

[auntielizzie]

I would agree, definitely get two as introductions will be "easier". Ex-bats sounds like a lovely idea, although perhaps if you would find it distressing if they didn't live very long, then other hens might be better, although having said that, I suppose there is no way of predicting how long any hen will live anyway I'm sure nursing a couple of ex-bats to health would be very rewarding though

 

Sorry that you lost your girlie :hugs:

[Flowerpot]

Thank you everyone - so helpful.

 

I will definitely get two then.

 

I have heard it is better to put the new girls into the coup at night so that they wake up together in the morning. Is that right?

 

I intended to get ex bat hens in the beginning but I don't have alot of spare time and it was suggested to me that they needed alot of attention so I should get hybrids. I did that and got one of each; a suffolk, Rosie was a light sussex, a bronze ranger and a blue haze.

 

Should I get two more light sussex because that was Rosie's breed?

Thanks again

Flowerpot

[Daphne]

I'd choose whichever girls you like the look of when you go to your supplier, don't feel constrained by Rosie, unless you'd like more I must admit, its nice to have a selection of colours in the flock

[Valkyrie]

Just introduced my two newbies - different breeds. Actually all are different breeds now. It's been a relatively good intro and not too much squabbling. The 2 new ones tend to go around together but they all go into the cube at night on their own now and I don't have to put them in any more. Now if only they would get out of the habit of laying in the eglu and use the cube nest box I'd be well chuffed.

 

Oh and make sure you have a few feeders to hand in case the olduns guard their feeder (mine mine mine) so that the newbies can get to eat somewhere. They'll all settle down eventually. Mine will eat tea together without any chasing although the former lowest hen chased them away from one feeder earlier - they have the same food in another grub elsewhere so they won't starve.

 

Good luck and choose whichever birds you fancy whether they be big, small or in betweens - but then I hasten to add that mine free range all day long so are well able to get away from any cranky flock members if they need to, so it may be different for a closed run.

[Flowerpot]

Thanks for this Valkyrie - really helpful

 

When you introduced your newbies what time of day did you do it?

 

Did you put them in when it was dark or just put them in the run when they came home with you`?

 

I thought I would let the girls go into the cube on their own at the 'normal' time and then when it was dark pop the new girls into the cube by the pop hole. Then I wondered if I should close the pop hole and then put the new girls in through the egg door into the nest box...then I thought maybe I'm over thinking this but I really don't want to upset the old girls or the new ones. I want them to get along!!!!!

 

Help!

Flowerpot

[mimi5]

Well, the advice for intros is that if you can it's a good idea to quarantine your newbies for 2 weeks. If possible inside the run/enclosure but separate. That way they can see each other and get used to new ones by sight, but not fight etc. Also sometimes the stress of a change can bring on illness or even new birds can bring illness.

 

I'm just doing intros at the moment. I have a cube with 4 meter run and a classic with 2meter run. The 2 boys yes one was supposed to be a girl are in the classic, my existing flock of girls are in the cube and come out to "see" the boys while free ranging. I also use the quarantine time to worm the newbies. Once my "spare" boy is re-homed my lot can all go together in the cube Job done.

[Flowerpot]

Oh Dear Mimi5

I don't have separate coop.

I could divide up the walk in run so that they are separate but then the new girls would have nowhere to sleep.

I have a large dog cage that I could make into a place to sleep but would that be cold for them this weather?

One of my girls has now taken to the nest box. She has been in there all day. I am worried by what you say about stress causing illness. I wonder if she is ill because of the loss of Rosie the dominant hen.

Everyone is unhappy at the moment!

What will happen if I just put them together?

Flowerpot

[LunaKiw1]

I too would like to know how exactly you 'pop them in' as we have an Eglu Classic so it would have to be by thrusting thme in through the egg hatch and can't quite visualise how that works when needing to stick in a couple and the exisitng girls always huddle up by that opening anyway!

[mimi5]

Well, If you could section off an area within the run with a covered dog crate, I'm sure that would work fine Then you can gauge their reactions to one another. If you just put them in together you could get issues as they establish the pecking order, hens can be spiteful (I have a nasty bully at the moment ) It's also best to have extra feeders & drinkers so everybody can get food and water!! Free ranging if possible can also help, but perhaps after they are familiar with each other

 

Re-your hen in the nest box.....she sounds broody to me

 

Of course it's up to you, they are your hens! Let us know how you get on and pics please

[redsunset]

Yep, as above, get two if you can. I took on a lone hen last year and she remained a lone hen for a long time until I very recently introduced a big cockerel and now am quite amused to see her peck him to let him know her status is much higher than his. Would not take a lone hen again tho as they form their own little cliques, so was much harder for her to integrate and upset me to watch. Plus an excuse to get two anyway........

[Flowerpot]

Thanks Mimi5

 

The hen may have been broody. I stroked her through the Eglu egg hole and talked with her quietly. Eventually she got up for a long long drink of water then went back to the nest box. I rang my hen supplier who like you suggested she was broody and that I should take her out of the nest box immediately. i decided to leave her for the night and read up on broody hens. This morning she came out of the Eglu like nothing was wrong! she has eaten and was pottering around last I looked. If she has gone back I may leave her for the rest of today because perhaps she just wanted some peace from the howling wind we had yesterday and still have today.

 

I have made a perch in the dog crate with poles and I shall fill the bottom with bedding so that the new girls have a choice of where to go. In the run I have a hay bale for the girls to sit on/jump on etc so I thought I would put the crate on top of that. I have a spare Eglu ladder ( I replaced mine with a wooden one) so I could use that for the new girls to get in and out on.

 

My next question is - how long do I leave them in the crate? do I let them out to feed and hope they will go back or do I feed them in the crate. I have three feeding stations and two water containers????

I will take some photos and when i work out how to attach them I will so that you can see what i mean.

 

Thanks so much for this help. I am learning so much

Flowerpot

[Chickabee]

Not sure I would raise the crate, as the hens need lots of eye to eye contact, they will also shape up to each other. Re putting them together, I think you've got to go with your gut feeling really. All of my introductions have been different. You could try after a few days, and if it feels wrong separate them again. Good luck, and don't forget the photos

[Flowerpot]

Thanks Chickabee

 

I did wonder about the crate being off the floor - good point

I will move the hay bale and put the crate there.

I am sorry about the photos but I am a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to this technology and I have no idea how to attach them.

If I find out I will send them.

Flowerpot

[mimi5]

All you want is a safe area within your run but separate. So the dog crate is only for sleeping if you see what I mean? Or do you have a cat carrier or similar? They will of course need water and food within their area of the run and even once you have put them all together it's a good idea to have extra in case dominate hens guard the food!!!

 

As Chickabee says you will have to see how they go, you can always go back a step!

 

P.S Don't worry I'm also hopeless with posting photos on here and have to get No1 son to do it for me

[Flowerpot]

I brought the two new hens home this afternoon.

Put them in the dog crate and they found it too small I think so in the end I let them out with my other girls. All the girls pottered about feeding and then my first girls went into the coup to sleep and one of the new girls went in so I waited and the other one went in as well.

The new girls were a little older than POL so they were as big as my girls and I think not as flighty as a young hen might be.

They all settled and so now I wait until the morning to see how they are.

I was able to check the new girls for parasites and they were clear as far as I could see.

I hope all is well!

Flowerpot

[Chickabee]

Brilliant. I always give my new girls a good dusting with mite powder before they go near the old ones. I've been caught out before. Maybe tomorrow

[gavclojak]

Wow that introduction sounds way too easy

Hope it goes as well when they wake up today, maybe a bit of sun might help

[Flowerpot]

So here it is a new day!

I opened up to find an egg laid by one of the new girls!

Martha is in the nest box so I haven't disturbed her but Myrtle and Rosietoo came out first then the new girls. They are obviously wondering about our morning routine but so far all the old girls have gone back into the coup and the two new girls are pottering around!

I think that the old girls are timid without Rosie who was very dominant and they seem reluctant to take up her mantle so the next few days are going to be interesting but so far so good.

I hate the idea that Rosietoo Martha and Myrtle are unhappy so I hope that they all settle together - only time will tell!

Thanks to everyone for all the advice it has been invaluable.

Flowerpot