jasperaliceuk Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 3 weeks in - introducing 3 new youngsters to 3 oldies. Taking it really slowly - I have a Cube and Eglu Go so have the luxury of separating them. They have done all the foraging around the newbies run, letting them free range together and it has not been too bad. Sadly I lost one hen last week and had to have her put to sleep - one of the old one. So now there are two. One of the other oldies, Ace, has issues! Always has to a degree but her nastiness is really coming out nicely with the new ones. If I didn't know better (if you know dog behaviour) she is a resource guarder! She has even kept the others away from me, following me around as if she owns me and woe betide anyone who comes near! One day and night I switched them to each others housing so the new ones could explore their new accommodation and last night I bit the bullet and put them together in the dark in the Cube with 10m sq WIR. All reigned quiet but this morning Ace is being a right @£(&%! So I have just taken her out and put her in the Go by herself. She obviously wants to lay but the others do too and is being really nasty to the others - she took over the nest box. She has drawn blood on one of them. When she agresses she sits right on top of of the other poor flattened chicken and just hammers her head. Is she a lost cause or do I just need more patience? I hate seeing the new ones traumatised. When I took the pecked one out of the house area away from Ace, one of the others virtually jumped into my arms and I ended up with two scared chooks! Pretty exasperated with my bully! Sorry, probably scandalous to say -she might be pretty (a Heritage Skyline) but she is just not a chicken to warm to. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 First thing is to double up on the feeders and drinkers. She can't guard them all! Many people go wrong with introducing new birds because they don't increase the run area accordingly. In your case you needed to double it, because the oldies have got used to that space and will fight to preserve it. One way (not ideal) is to reduce the run space long before new birds arrive and restore it when they are put together. 10m2 should be just sufficient for 5, although I think it is at a minimum. I always aim for 4m2 each if the run is permanent, but have to admit sometimes it just isn't possible. We have 2 cockerels with 5 square metres each permanently penned. But all the other birds are at about 1.5m2 each for the runs in the morning, going into 15m2 for the remainder of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Yep feeders and drinkers already doubled. The run was originally holding 5 hens - I've lost 3 in a year (2 in the past couple of months) hence building up numbers again so there is adequate space as far as I can see and they have a 150' garden to roam in when supervised or just half if I'm feeling mean enough not to let them eat my fruit and veg! I do think it is just Ace - the others have been fine all day today with just Gwen the other oldie who is not averse to a peck or two but nothing like the punishment Ace dishes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Perhaps a Bumpa beak bit will calm her down. Plenty of posts on here recently about them. We use them often to stop hens pecking the cockerel's combs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 I may have to resort to that - she has had them before and I still have a supply - was hoping not to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
