Chicken bald back

[Jenthelibrarian]

Last Wednesday I very sadly had to have my dear Josephine PTS, leaving Mathilda all by herself

 

We decided to go for two new girlies fairly quickly, not wanting Tilly to be unhappy or to forget the pleasures of company. I'm also due to go away for a week so my dear husband is to be in charge...I was dreading the joys of hen-introductions but, so far it's been really good, way better than I expected or hoped

 

We came home on Thursday with two very lovely new POL hens, and the fun began. My husband recklessly opened their travelling box alone and the Calder Ranger/black-tail escaped. Luckily our garden is well enclosed, but I seriously thought she was going to have to be a free-range chook for good, until she helpfully ran into one of my netted raised beds and trapped herself

 

We had some brief squabbling, but they all roosted together that first night. Friday morning we let Tilly out so the 'noobs' could get to food and water without her pecking them and then set up separate bowls. To our surprise the Warren gave us a beautiful brown egg!

 

I have just been out to see them with a dish of mixed corn 'scratch' and although the Calder is still rather nervy, all three beaks got stuck in together.

 

Names not entirely settled yet but I'm thinking the Warren looks like a Rosie, and the Calder has to be Lucy, 'cause she got loose

[jeshen]

So pleased your introductions are going smoothly. Like your choice of names!

[Bramble]

I'm hoping to get a couple of newbies soon - so hope my new arrivals will integrate as well as yours have!!!

[LunaKiw1]

We had exactly the same scenario a month or so ago and our intros went much better than we anticipated too. We did keep the newbies separate by some netting when all 3 were inside the WIR for a couple of days but when we eventually let them all out to free-range together it all went well. Our 'old' girl shadowed the new girls very closely as they explored but without attacking them. That night she took herself to bed really early - we think she was simply exhausted by her constant patrolling! For the first week we put the newbies into the Eglu after Daisy had already settled and then made sure we got up really early to let them out. Within I think about 4 days they were able to be completely together all the time with no arguments bar a very occiasional quick peck and the newbies learnt to duck roound Daisy if she looked as if she might be 'in a mood'. I think several feed bowls does really help though - just in case. If you continue to take it slowly and calmly it sounds as though you'll also have three happy chooks soon playing nicely together!

[Chortle Chook]

Sorry to hear about Josephine but 2 newbies - how nice Where did you get them from? I've found a really nice place at the entrance to Beale Park called 'Mother Hens Poultry' which is close to us. Were yours from there? Such a nice man and his chooks still had grass and daffodiles under the apple trees. All rather idyllic.

[Jenthelibrarian]

To update: still going well...

 

Earlier I let Tilly out for a frolic around the garden and the 'noobs' anxiously patrolled up and down the wire watching for her and making funny little calls.

Best of all - they both took some corn and mealworms from my hand, bit warily, but they did it

And two eggs again today

Left them all playing three-way chicken swing-ball with some sweetcorn, taking turns nicely.

 

Chortle Chook: We got them from Rachel Misra who runs a chicken boarding set up on the edge of Marlow. I hadn't known that she sold hens too. Beautiful girls all in very fine fettle, kept in lovely conditions and barely five minutes drive away. My original two came from Widget's before they moved from Reading.

 

I'm going away for six days from tomorrow, fingers x-ed for my husband, please, as he is coping on his own.